“Who has seen the wind?”

20 Feb “Who has seen the wind?”

I was reflecting on a poem my primary school teachers made us memorize…Who has seen the wind? By Christina Rosetti

Who has seen the wind?

Neither I nor you:

But when the leaves hang trembling,

The wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I:

But when the trees bow down their heads,

The wind is passing by.

We’ve had a fair bit of wind of late…and some parts of Victoria are still cleaning up after it. Growing up in an area prone to hurricanes we’d often go a day or two without power after the winds went through. Interesting how the mind remembers stuff you haven’t thought about in years until something makes you think.

Let’s think about what’s ahead for a few minutes…

1. Zoom Bible Study Catch-up

Friday 23rd February 2024 @ 1:00 PM 

Join Zoom Meeting  —  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83006349720  —  Meeting ID: 830 0634 9720

2. Living Water Prayer Time

Saturday 2^nd March @ 10 a.m.

@ the Prenzler’s house!

3. GBO for March – Church Missionary Society – “Jess”

This is one of those where we can’t tell you a great deal because the person is operating in a non-Christian culture where they’d be expelled if the government knew they were Christian missionaries. Like the family we supported in one of the former Soviet Republics some years back “Jess” is on the frontlines of today’s headline nations inviting people into a relationship with Jesus amid the clash of nations.

4. Save the Date – Sunday 7^th April…Liz & Judy are working on a fun fellowship outing for us. I don’t want to say anything until the plans are firm…just save the date!
5. Please pray for me…I’ve been invited to speak at Wagga Wagga Christian College’s Commissioning Service again this year. Tuesday, 27^th February @ 10:30 a.m. I’m hoping to share a clear word of Jesus & a bold witness to his saving love so that the students who are not yet followers of Jesus might begin to have those conversations with teachers and friends. I’m also hopeful that the folks on campus who are Christians will be encouraged to listen for opportunities to share the gospel with others. So…please pray for that.

I’m about to share this in another forum but you get first look…I was reading Luke 7 this morning, and near the end of the chapter (Lk 7:36-50) Jesus is in a house having dinner when a woman anoints his feet & weeps on them & dries up the mess with her hair. The other guests are aghast…especially the host since this woman has some sort of town reputation as a “sinner.” You should read the whole narrative, but to cut to the chase…Jesus poses the problem of debtors being forgiven. One a large un-repayable debt, and the other a smaller debt but for the moment still un-repayable. The question, “Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” becomes the point. The obvious answer, the one forgiven most loves the Forgiver most. But then the narrative grows teeth: Jesus points out all the hospitality essentials the host neglected to provide in contrast with the woman & then Jesus says, “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”

It forces me to ask: How much have I been forgiven? How much love do I show? How much gratitude, generosity, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, encouragement, joy, devotion…?

I’m going to be working on those questions with Jesus all this week. I’d offer the same discipline for you too.

 

See you Sunday

John