25 Jun No throwaways or cast offs here!
Good morning everyone!
It’s a veritable heat wave this morning…stayed above freezing long enough for me to get sweaty on my morning bicycle ride. I was pretty impressed with the frozen mud puddle Sunday morning in the Hall parking lot…but doubly impressed that I didn’t have to navigate through any today!
The week ahead looks pretty impressive…let’s get stuck in…
- Living Water Night out for Dinner – Tuesday, 25th June, 6:00 p.m. @ The Union Hotel. I hope you’ve signed up & given Liz all the relevant details! Should be a great night!
- Mary & I are at Caloola Court Thursday morning…please pray for a good roll up & great joy! If you haven’t toured their new facilities…you should. It’s beautiful!
- Zoom Bible Study Catch-up (we’re going deeper into the story of Nicodemus…John 3, John 7, & John 19) Grab the discussion questions from Sunday & your Bible & meet us there!
Friday – 28th June 2024 @ 1:00 p.m.
Join Zoom Meeting — https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83006349720 — Meeting ID: 830 0634 9720 - Sunday – 30th June (this week) we’re wrapping up our Living Courageously worship series with a look at Ananias (Acts 9). He was instrumental in Saul/Paul becoming an apostle. We’ll be looking at the “risk of faith” Ananias undertakes…and what would it be like if he’d said, “No” to God calling him to that risk. There’s something there for all of us.
- Starting Sunday 7th July – we’ll begin an in-depth exploration of the book of Jeremiah. Part of the unique nature of Jeremiah’s call as a prophet is that he reveals that when God enlists you as his own chosen instrument of His will…there’s no half measures…you’re Fully Engaged or you’re not. We’ve looked at Jeremiah a few years ago…this will be deeper and more compelling. Bring a friend…and our GBO and Morning Tea are this week as well.
I mentioned my early morning cycling adventures around Glenfield Park most mornings. What strikes me as I ride, besides all that I get to see going on in our small corner of the world & the people I get to greet as we navigate past each other, is the amount of rubbish I see along our roads. Mostly fast food litter…the 2 big chains are well represented…and that not only makes me sad but fairly disgusted. If someone buys a takeaway box of chicken or a burger and fries, and they’re in their car anyway, why not just wait to get home to throw it out? Why does the car window offer the more attractive throwaway option?
Well…for a few weeks there I got a surprise. Alongside the bike track along the back side of Mima Street near the train tracks was a massive Carp. Yes a Carp…a rollicking big dead fish. Now I know when you catch those from the local waterways you aren’t supposed to throw them back in…they’re a pest so you should dispose of them properly. When I catch them it’s usually into a plastic bag & then into the rubbish when I get home…but there was this huge 3+kilogram Carp lying there stiff as a board in mid-flop…yes it appears even fish have rigor mortis. Geographically this fish was a long way from the nearest fishing spot, so someone had to catch this jolly big fish & carry it that far only to decide “Drop it here.” I could almost understand pitching your burger box out the window before I can understand that decision.
So…Why do we throw away what we throw away? What’s a “keeper” and what isn’t? We all have closets or sheds full of stuff we decided to keep…much of it we never see or touch & may not remember we have…Why? Look at the contact list in your phone…your address book in your email service…your “friends/followers” on social media if you do that stuff…Who are some of these people? Think about the people you used to hang out with regularly…How long has it been? Why do we throw away what we throw away? What (or Who) is a “keeper” and what (or Who) isn’t?
I like how Paul sees this issue: This is a trustworthy saying, & everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”& I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him & receive eternal life. – 1 Tim 1:15-16
When God looks at his world he doesn’t see any worthy of discarding. There are no throwaway people in God’s eyes. There are no cast offs to be tossed aside in the rush for something better or when the task at hand is finished. “Even the worst of sinners,” like you & me, are redeemed by Christ so that a Christ restores us into his image throughout our lives, others can “realize” see Christ in us & believe in him because of us and receive eternal life. Even an old “carp” like me is used by Jesus at work in me to draw others into his love & life that last forever.
Now that’s something I can share with someone who doesn’t yet have a living relationship with Jesus. Even “carps” find a home in his arms! Yeah…go on…tell someone that this week. Then explain it and invite them to join you Sunday.
Looking forward to a big schnitty tonight…and all the other great things we have in store this week.
Peace
John
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