February 23
So with being in the Gold Coast it turns out there is a church planting conference nearby lead by Acts 29—a worldwide church planting movement. I knew this event was happening but wasn’t sure if I would be able to attend, but with the cyclone hitting we shacked up at the YWAM base which turns out was only 5 minutes away from the event. Best thing was that one of my favourite speakers was there, Matt Chandler from the US. Chandler is a pastor, author and leader of Acts 29 and perhaps one of the most gifted speakers I have heard. What a treat to sit under his teaching the last 2 nights. He spoke on the eminence and transcendence of God (I’ll let you look those up)-we need both otherwise we drift into either fearing God and not trusting him or liking him but unsure of his power…both are pretty brutal. And then he tackled the warm fuzzy verses of Romans 8:28, 31 and didn’t skip the controversial texts in between (again, I’ll let you look those up). The cool thing was that the kids came along for the second evening (not a lot of childcare out here!), and they were captivated…I don’t think I could keep 3 elementary kids spellbound while talking about justification, predestination, and how all things work for the good of those who love God. Some guys have the gift. But it is a reminder to me that God’s word, rightly taught, does revive the soul better than anything.
Perhaps a fresh moment for me in his teaching was his comment about effectual calling, that God does not force anyone to love him but rather when we meet him we are instantly drawn to love him (or for others to reject him outright). Our family is reading through the Narnia series while we travel along and I couldn’t help link this with how C.S. Lewis refers to the Pevensie kids when they hear about Aslan (the Christ character) for the first time—their hearts are warmed and cheered…they want to celebrate and feel like its a fresh spring morning full of life and hope. Its that way with Jesus, when he shows himself to us, no one is forced to love him, but rather we instantly are warmed to cherish him and can identity with the apostle Paul when he says in Philippians that compared to Christ everything else is rubbish.
The other surprise in this storm is where we are right now. A friend of mine from YWAM days has generously opened his home till the storm passes, and so here we are up a small mountain overlooking the coast and enjoying warm hospitality from distant friends. The kids have other kids to play with, a pleasant home to rest in. It feels a little like a Rivendell experience after the tumult of the past couple days. Very thankful today for where we are and the comforts of the mainland.
Let Oma rage on, God is working all things for some good here!
Wonderful stuff Ken and so delighted to imagine you all in the House of Elrond.
ReplyDeleteThinking about the beauty of Jesus...there isn't anything better is there? Do you know this quote of Dostoyevsky?:
I believe that there is nothing lovelier, deeper, more sympathetic, more rational, more manly, and more perfect than the Saviour; I say to myself with jealous love that not only is there no one else like Him, but that there could be no one. I would even say more: If anyone could prove to me that Christ is outside the truth, and if the truth really did exclude Christ, I should prefer to stay with Christ and not with truth.
A man swept up in his love for his Saviour!