in our back garden stands a great big old tree stump that tells the sad story of not being wanted anymore where it was planted - not by its own will, but my the one who planted it. For at least six months this tree stump stood there, a sad testimony of the whimsical nature of humanity. Now however, this stump is sprouting new leaves and branches, testifying to a power far greater than that of mankind the power of hope in hopelessness. The power of the true light that shines in the darkness: the power of Christ.
Today the "tree of my ministry" is being cut of as the powers that be announced to the congregations that I have served for the last two years that i will be discontinued as a minister in this church. Like the stump in our back garden, it is a sad testimony of the nature of humanity, speaking of hopelessness and pain, of not being wanted anymore where i was planted (not by my own will but by the hand of Him who planted me) - disregarding years of faithful service and growth. However, this 'stump of my ministry' that remains is a testimony to much more. It is a testimony of hope in hopelessness, a testimony to the light of Christ that changes and saves - regardless of pain, darkness and fear.
Today, i stand not because i am proud, but because i know that i serve a God of new beginnings, a God of love and hope . A God who is there in our times of darkness. Today i proclaim boldly:
God is life!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
politics
In the light of recent developments in politics in our country, it is easy to loose hope, to become despondent and to allow for darkness to rule our hearts and minds and then there are moments that gives hope, moments like this one:
As i am sitting here, i can hear the laughter and giggles outside of two six-year olds: one is my own little boy, the other - the son of a friend from a different cultural background. Both are fluent in at least two languages and knows a couple of words in a third. My son can speak English, Afrikaans and a bit of SeSotho, his friend can speak SeSotho, SeTwana and a bit of English. They do not fully understand each other, but have been playing the morning away. They laugh, they help, they play and have developed their own way of communication. Perhaps this is why God said that we need to become children again: Instead of focusing on problems, differences or that which divides us, they focus of similarities finding solutions and each other.
Perhaps my next vote should be going to a child ...
As i am sitting here, i can hear the laughter and giggles outside of two six-year olds: one is my own little boy, the other - the son of a friend from a different cultural background. Both are fluent in at least two languages and knows a couple of words in a third. My son can speak English, Afrikaans and a bit of SeSotho, his friend can speak SeSotho, SeTwana and a bit of English. They do not fully understand each other, but have been playing the morning away. They laugh, they help, they play and have developed their own way of communication. Perhaps this is why God said that we need to become children again: Instead of focusing on problems, differences or that which divides us, they focus of similarities finding solutions and each other.
Perhaps my next vote should be going to a child ...
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
in short
what a year! so many good things that happened , so many painful things, so many questions, so little answers... A roller-coaster ride of hope and despair!
Today i think back on one of the most difficult years of my life and somehow, i am without words to describe this year other than to say in the words of Charles Spurgeon: "I have a great need for Christ; I have a great Christ for my need"
My calling has been tested again and again on every level and all tho others might doubt my call, i am more sure than ever of my calling. I don't know where 2008 will lead me, but this i know:
"His grace is sufficient for me"
Today i think back on one of the most difficult years of my life and somehow, i am without words to describe this year other than to say in the words of Charles Spurgeon: "I have a great need for Christ; I have a great Christ for my need"
My calling has been tested again and again on every level and all tho others might doubt my call, i am more sure than ever of my calling. I don't know where 2008 will lead me, but this i know:
"His grace is sufficient for me"
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
uncharted territory
How often do we use the words 'trust' and 'faith', and how often do we really understand what we are saying?
In the last while (and especially this week) i have been gaining a fresh understanding of what it really means to say that i trust God or that i have faith in Him. In the past it has been easy for me to say these things as i have felt that i am in control of my life and ministry. I have been like a good layer who only asks the questions that s/he already knows the answers to. I have been trusting God in that which is certain - eternal life. For everything else, i could make a plan.
Recently however, i have had to learn to trust God when nothing is certain. I am learning that the greatest for of trust is when i can see no way out. i am like Gideon, being asked to trust God when humanly the situation seems impossible. i am being asked to trust God with my life now and not only one day when i die and do not have any control anyway. This kind of trust is a trust that i am following his lead when i cannot see the outcome yet, it is asking the questions that i don't know the answers to. I t is walking in uncharted territory with dangers all around me. I can no longer depend on my own insights, experience or understanding. I cannot depend on friends or family.
All of this is terrifying ... and yet it is strangely liberating!
Today i declare (with an unsteady voice) "Christ enough for one - for all!"
In the last while (and especially this week) i have been gaining a fresh understanding of what it really means to say that i trust God or that i have faith in Him. In the past it has been easy for me to say these things as i have felt that i am in control of my life and ministry. I have been like a good layer who only asks the questions that s/he already knows the answers to. I have been trusting God in that which is certain - eternal life. For everything else, i could make a plan.
Recently however, i have had to learn to trust God when nothing is certain. I am learning that the greatest for of trust is when i can see no way out. i am like Gideon, being asked to trust God when humanly the situation seems impossible. i am being asked to trust God with my life now and not only one day when i die and do not have any control anyway. This kind of trust is a trust that i am following his lead when i cannot see the outcome yet, it is asking the questions that i don't know the answers to. I t is walking in uncharted territory with dangers all around me. I can no longer depend on my own insights, experience or understanding. I cannot depend on friends or family.
All of this is terrifying ... and yet it is strangely liberating!
Today i declare (with an unsteady voice) "Christ enough for one - for all!"
Friday, October 19, 2007
getting on with the job
This morning in my devotions i was challenged with the following thought:
Suppose the world population was standing at about 5 000 million (yes, it is more than that). And suppose you are the only Christian in the world (no, you are not) and suppose that in the next 12 months you could lead one person to Christ. In the next year you and the person you have lead to Christ each lead one more person to Christ. The question is: how long will it take, if every Christian then every year only lead one person to Christ, before everyone on earth has been reached with the Good News?
Only 32 years!
In this year, i have been running around so much, running meetings, resolving conflicts, doing everything a good minister should - that i have forgotten my real job. Making Disciples not of me but of God.
So this is me getting on with the real job
Suppose the world population was standing at about 5 000 million (yes, it is more than that). And suppose you are the only Christian in the world (no, you are not) and suppose that in the next 12 months you could lead one person to Christ. In the next year you and the person you have lead to Christ each lead one more person to Christ. The question is: how long will it take, if every Christian then every year only lead one person to Christ, before everyone on earth has been reached with the Good News?
Only 32 years!
In this year, i have been running around so much, running meetings, resolving conflicts, doing everything a good minister should - that i have forgotten my real job. Making Disciples not of me but of God.
So this is me getting on with the real job
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Life!
As the signs of new life is evident all around us with the arrival of spring, i am filled with a sense of awe for the author of life itself...
In my garden is a young tree that i planted in a difficult time of my life just before the winter started. Yes, i know it is a funny time to be planting a tree, but i was kind of trying to rescue it and the struggling tree soon became a metaphor for my own life. As winter progressed this young tree began to look dead and hopeless - the force and severity of our icy winter taking its toll. The other day i was walking around in the garden and stood in amazement as i noticed the signs of new life in what appeared to be a dead and hopeless young tree. Don't get me wrong, the tree is still not looking great, but there is HOPE!
Today i am reflecting on the signs of new life in my own life - in every aspect of my life i can still see the results of an icy winter, the destruction and decay left by lovelessness and indifference. but there is hope and in ever aspect of my life there are signs of new life, signs of hope! This does not mean that the struggles are over, but there is HOPE and that hope lies in the Author of life.
May Spring-rains shower your (and my) spirit as we continue to become that which we were created to be.
In my garden is a young tree that i planted in a difficult time of my life just before the winter started. Yes, i know it is a funny time to be planting a tree, but i was kind of trying to rescue it and the struggling tree soon became a metaphor for my own life. As winter progressed this young tree began to look dead and hopeless - the force and severity of our icy winter taking its toll. The other day i was walking around in the garden and stood in amazement as i noticed the signs of new life in what appeared to be a dead and hopeless young tree. Don't get me wrong, the tree is still not looking great, but there is HOPE!
Today i am reflecting on the signs of new life in my own life - in every aspect of my life i can still see the results of an icy winter, the destruction and decay left by lovelessness and indifference. but there is hope and in ever aspect of my life there are signs of new life, signs of hope! This does not mean that the struggles are over, but there is HOPE and that hope lies in the Author of life.
May Spring-rains shower your (and my) spirit as we continue to become that which we were created to be.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
peace?
one of the most difficult passages in Scripture for me to make sense of has always been that of Luke 12: 49-53. How i long for peace in the church (man peace in our leaders meeting would be great)! How i long for a day when there would not be this never-ending conflict amonst Christians themselves a day when "peace on earth" would be more than just a Christmas greeting! When i then read Jesus words in Luke 12:49-53 i cant help but sigh a deep sigh...
Yes i know that the peace that Jesus brings is not the peace that this world brings, i know that it is not the absence of conflict but rather a deep inner peace that is not dependent on external factors but rather on Jesus' sovereignty and saving grace - but still. The problem with peace in the church is perhaps not so much what Jesus was alluding to in Luke 12 but more John 15:18- 16:4 - We all tend to go off on our own crusades in which we fight "on God's behalf" against that which we have decided is an abomination to Him (as if God is not big enough to fight those battles for himself). We go about all self-righteous and judgmental honestly thinking that we are doing God a favor while tearing the body of Christ into peaces, crushing and obscuring the image of God in others. and we say - "it is for God".
The Message that Christ brings of unconditional love, forgiveness and justice all to often brings division rather than peace when our own ego's and insecurities gets in the way.
Again, the words "more of You and less of me" is my hearts desire. may i not ever seek to persecute those who think differently, worship differently and experience differently. May we seek to find the image of God in others and allow God to be God.
Yes i know that the peace that Jesus brings is not the peace that this world brings, i know that it is not the absence of conflict but rather a deep inner peace that is not dependent on external factors but rather on Jesus' sovereignty and saving grace - but still. The problem with peace in the church is perhaps not so much what Jesus was alluding to in Luke 12 but more John 15:18- 16:4 - We all tend to go off on our own crusades in which we fight "on God's behalf" against that which we have decided is an abomination to Him (as if God is not big enough to fight those battles for himself). We go about all self-righteous and judgmental honestly thinking that we are doing God a favor while tearing the body of Christ into peaces, crushing and obscuring the image of God in others. and we say - "it is for God".
The Message that Christ brings of unconditional love, forgiveness and justice all to often brings division rather than peace when our own ego's and insecurities gets in the way.
Again, the words "more of You and less of me" is my hearts desire. may i not ever seek to persecute those who think differently, worship differently and experience differently. May we seek to find the image of God in others and allow God to be God.
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