Wednesday 26th March

Im not an envious person.  I really dont compare myself with others much and I cant remember the last time I coveted my neighbours donkey.  But something I saw today made me green.  It was this headline in the Belfast Telegraph

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/firefly-upsee-lean-on-me-invention-that-lets-disabled-kids-take-their-first-step-30121787.html

I had two reactions when I saw that article.  One was' Oh how fantastic!' and the other which came almost simultaneously was ' How much do I wish that I had thought of that?!!  Its so SIMPLE! Its going to change thousands of lives.  I want to have invented that!!'

Maybe it's just me.... I want to invent things which are going to change the world :-)  And its always the most simple things which are the best isnt it.

 Like this.                              Or this



And did you see the two students who invented the invisible bike helmet?   If you didnt you really must look it up.  Its genius. Considerably more complicated than the concept of the post it note - but solving a problem... which is what all these inventions are about.

God's people have throughout history been at the forefront of invention and problem solving. Unsurprising really given that we are designed to be creative and are motivated by a love for people which desires to see them living to their full potential.  Many many ideas for inventions come to people in dreams.  Go and look it up - it is astonishing.  Here are a few examples :

Einstein had a dream which led him to the theory of relativity
The inventor of the sewing machine had a dream which showed him how to resolve a glitch in the process he was developping
Insulin
an understanding of the structure of molecules
the periodic table
the idea for Google
'Yesterday' The Beatles biggest selling song

Anyone can dream.  In fact we all do!  And God has always spoken to people in dreams - so there is no reason why He could not drop an invention or idea or a song or a new understanding or the solution to a problem into your mind as you sleep.  He might even do it tonight!

Lord,  thank you for inventors.  For people who see a problem and are creative and persistent enough to work out how to solve it.  Thank you that You have the solution to every difficulty and know the answer to every problem.  I pray that the church would once again be at the forefront of innovation and ideas.  That Your people would be the ones seeing the problems, caring about them and finding solutions.  Be it in our own homes, in our churches and communities or further afield in the big wide world.   Waking or sleeping may we be tuned into You .  And when the seed of the idea comes to us give us the courage to run with it and make it happen.