Hi treasured friends, badly catered for blog readers.
A (very) belated happy new year.
There are times when you are taken aback by circumstances, but soon realise the good purposes God has in them. Not all of life however is like that. In fact many (even expected) sufferings, normal to all those who authentically follow the path of Christ ... are mysteriously timed, deeper than we ever expected and increasingly challenging us to ever stronger dependence on the wisdom, power, victory and reign of Christ. Even when we expect suffering in a fallen world, we can still have unexpected thoughts about how much more we need to trust Him.
THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE : PIVOTAL HISTORY IS IN GOD's HANDS, ALL HISTORY WORKS TOGETHER FOR HIS GOOD PURPOSES.
When Paul wrote to the Colossian church, His primary theme was the all sufficiency, complete resource, and real victory in Christ. He applies to every day life Christ's finished work on the cross which is both the means of our salvation and the everyday foundation / power supply of every Christian in a broken world. The Colossians needed to hear it and re-hear it, and so do we today.
Yes there is a "not yet". Creation is yet to be renewed, we have failing bodies, broken world leaders, and sin / greed reign in the hearts of humanity. However, Christ has already demonstrated for all eternity that He is greater than all things, all fallenness and sickness, all the opponents of GOD, all plans of GOD's enemies, all the weapons against the mission of GOD and the perfect purposes of GOD. The mission of God has taken all the above into account and demonstrated impenetrable authority over it through Christ.
THE NOW PERSPECTIVE: PIVOTAL DEPENDENCE IN OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS.
As the calendar clocks over from 23 to 24, two millennia after Christ bodily walked our broken world, the world has not solved its own issues. The risen Christ, the ministry of His Spirit amongst His church, and the mission of God outworked through us pointing to Christ, is the only answer for our world.
Rolling news channels are not easy watching, reemphasising to me that daytime telly is a curse not a blessing. The suffering across our world this Christmas was unfathomable. In addition to that context, a number of our team went through tough times over Christmas. Yes, in the context of our broken world maybe our suffering would seem insignificant to you, and all these things are relative, but for each of us it felt significant, weeks alone in recovery and somewhat lonely inability/ vulnerability in one way or another. Time we had expected to spend with families at home in recouperation after travel, was hijacked by illness and surprise circumstances. In need of a very overdue rest after a somewhat brutal year, our tightly knitted UK team all faced something (Covid, Flu, emergency operations, family hospitalisations, cancer treatment), and each were hit hard after a year that had run energies down and cashed in on all of the overdraft of our physical / emotional resources bank.
What did we learn ?
That is better to be stuck in bed and 100% reliant on God ...than out and about 100% fit and living in your own strength alone. His strength really is outworked and revealed when we are weak. It can therefore be amazingly good and a great joy even in the worst of times to pray simply, "help me LORD", and know more of Him and His strength. Sometimes brain fog and lack of concentration (due to illness) can make us simple before God in a focussed way. How he assures us that He is the one who is really praying with us and for us. It is good to be humbled to pray. "Thank you that you are at work, regardless of what I am able or not able to do". There is contentment and joy in the power of God even when we feel powerless. The worst of times can also turn out to be the best of times if He is there. There is incomparably greater treasure in knowing God than doing things. Intimacy with Him is greater than Industry. (Ps 46:10). He is our strength and renewal as we go into 24.
What do we expect this year?
1. We expect that the victory of the cross will be preached to numerous unreached peoples, frontier mission situations, new areas of gospel ministry and new churches will be born because Christ reigns and guaranteed that the mission of God will be successful.
2. We expect that human suffering will increase but also will the harvest of many people seeking Christ and finding unfathomable treasure in Him at the worst of times. Whether Russia's war in Ukraine, or the ongoing fallout of geological disasters (like the earthquake in Nepal), many will come to seek and bow before their maker and redeemer, rejecting false gods, inanimate idols, human constructs and religions which are of no help at the worst of times or for eternity. Christ is reigning over today, over us today, and all the things which are happening across all of the world today. Many will come to Christ in Ukraine and be built up this year, rooted in Christ through "new start" projects, many will be found by Christ in all sorts of places seemingly forgotten by governments and authorities in the uttermost parts of the world and amongst all peoples.
3. We expect that He will give us all the resources we need internally and circumstantially to enable us to trust fully, walk obediently and live fruitfully equipped for His work by His power, whatever the demands and path before us. We look at the reality of the year ahead. For us as a team this years diary plan is a gospel trek of Himaylan dimensions...and maybe you are also staring dauntingingly at the reality of this year head on. Maybe you face an uphill task with chemo, ongoing grief following the loss of loved ones, the prospect of fresh trauma whilst you are still recovering from past trauma. You and I need to remember that we have the ultimate Sherpa before us... one who has walked this road, knows all the dangers to n'th degree, intercedes for us, protects us, and guarantees safe destination. His perfect orchestration of our world and lives is from the podium of all authority, the vantage point of resurrection, cosmological victory over sin, death, hell, suffering and all God's enemies.
Trust Him: the one who has gone before us.
A glimpse of the amazing work and places the gospel is reaching after disaster mercy ministry. Here... the rural outreach of ACTION network churches ministering to those following earthquake (Jarakot, Nepal) with the gift of mattresses, also coats, and the message of the greatest gift to our world amongst those who live in real mountains.
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