Hello
friends
Here we
stand at the dawn of a new calendar year. Can you believe it! I really do trust
that these past few weeks have been good for you, whether you have been able to
rest or that it has been fruitful work.
As I have
had the privilege of taking a break, God has refreshed and challenged me in a
number of ways. One of the advantages of having a break is that we give our
Father a bit more space and time with us and we are probably more inclined to
hear Him simply because we should have less clutter around us if we rest
properly.
Anyway,
it is one of the questions He asked me that I believe is helpful and necessary
for all of us to answer. In Philippians 1:21-24, Paul writes:
"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am
to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall
choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart
and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more
necessary on your account."
I find
myself entering this year having had to really ascertain whether I truly
believe that to die is gain, because that will effect the way I live, the way I
steward my resources, my time etc. and then also to get to grips with life on
earth truly being necessary for the sake of others, for the sake of you.
So as you
perhaps spend some time meditating on these words of Paul's, I encourage you to
face up to whether your life, as it would be observed by an outsider, would
match up to your stated beliefs, and secondly, whether you believe that while
you have breath it is to be spent for the sake of others.
Practically
speaking, we have 3 young people who are giving their year to come and serve
Southcity, with a particular focus on our youth. In giving their lives for the
sake of others, they are leaving homes, family and friends to come from around
the country to be with us. We are needing to host them for the year. What does
it require? They will be with us during the four terms and away on training
camps during the school holidays. So we need 2 young men and 1 young lady to be
hosted, either for a whole year or for a term at a time. I ask you church to
please open your homes and take these beautiful people in as they come to serve
us. Please contact Daine ASAP for more information.
Looking
forward to seeing you all again.
Much love
Rich
