From our Pastor
From Paul Lavender
Water is probably the most important resource on Earth. We need water to grow and stay alive. In fact, we could only live for a few days without drinking water. We also need water to grow plants and care for animals, cook our food, bathe and brush our teeth, flush the toilet, and wash our clothes.
If you look at a globe, or at a picture of Earth, you will notice that most of the Earth's surface is covered in water. You might think that there is plenty of water for everyone to use. But did you know that most of the water on earth is ocean water? Ocean water is very salty. You can't drink it or use it for growing plants, cooking food, bathing, or washing clothes. The water we use for these things is called freshwater. It comes from rain or snow that falls in rivers and lakes. It is also found stored in rocks beneath the ground. Some people don't have enough freshwater where they live. It is important for everyone to conserve, or save, water so that there is enough for everyone. Most water needs to be treated before we can use it, and it is part of our responsibility as Christians to make sure that the world's resources, especially water, are equitably shared amongst all the peoples of our world.
So water needs to be shared. But as Christians, we also need to share liberally with others that which have received from God our Heavenly Father. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and reminded them of this truth:
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ANIV)
In other words, you've been comforted by God when you've needed his help – now you have the privilege of comforting others with the grace and blessings he has poured into your life. But in a sense there is also a stark warning here. God has blessed us in order that we may be a blessing. God has poured the gift of salvation into our lives so that we in turn may use the freedom God has given us to help lead others to faith. Our task is not to get in the way of what God wants to do in our lives, or indeed through us in the lives of others, but to be open to the work of the Holy Spirit, who helps us to obey the words and commands of Jesus. Francis Ridley Havergal puts it thus:
"Oh lead me Lord, that I may lead the wandering and the wayward feet. Oh feed me Lord, that I may feed thy hungering ones with manna sweet."
Did you know that there is only one part of the prayer that Jesus himself taught us to pray that comes with a condition attached and that is the petition to be forgiven AS WE forgive others? If we need water to survive physically, then we most surely need the forgiveness of our Heavenly Father to prosper spiritually. God has forgiven us, in order that we can release others through forgiveness. You must choose to forgive whoever has wronged you. Forgiveness is not an emotion; it is a decision of the will. Jesus himself said:
"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."
Matthew 6:14-15 (ANIV)
Dwight Moody's father died when Dwight was only four. A month later Mrs. Moody gave birth to twins; she now had nine mouths to feed and no income. Merciless creditors dogged the widow, claiming everything they could get their hands on. As if Mrs. Moody didn't have enough troubles, her eldest boy later ran away from home. Certain that her son would return, Mrs. Moody placed a light for him in the window each night. Young Dwight was inspired by her faith and prayers. He wrote: "I can remember how eagerly she used to look for tidings of that boy; how she used to send us to the post office to see if there was a letter from him - some night when the wind was very high, and the house would tremble at every gust, the voice of my mother was raised in prayer for that wanderer."
Her prayers were answered. Her prodigal son did eventually return. Dwight remembered: "While my mother was sitting at the door, a stranger was seen coming toward the house, and when he came to the door he stopped.
My mother didn't know her boy. He stood there with folded arms and a great beard flowing down his breast, his tears trickling down his face. When my mother saw those tears she cried, 'Oh, it's my lost son!' and entreated him to come in. But he stood still! 'No mother,' he answered, 'I will not come in until I hear first that you have forgiven me.'" Mrs. Moody was only too willing to forgive. She rushed to the door, threw her arms around him, and there the prodigal found forgiveness.
May we throw open the doors to one another, and show them the same forgiveness that God has shown to us:
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8 (ANIV)
God bless you all.
Paul Lavender