Dear friends
The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us of the fact that
life is not lived in a line, straight or otherwise, but is
seasonal and that in each of these seasons, there are
different things which take place for us.
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
Ecclesiastes 3:1
And, as it is in our lives, the church seems to have
recognised this in the framing of the church calendar,
not something which in our tradition we probably take
as seriously as we perhaps ought.
It is not so long ago that we were celebrating the
Christmas season when we were thinking about and
rejoicing in the fact that God became a man and made
His dwelling among us. Christmas when our focus is
God with us.
More recently, out thoughts turned to the fact that
the baby who was born in a stable grew to be a man
and after having taught the truth of the Kingdom of
God and demonstrated that by healing the sick, casting
out demons and raising the dead, he was crucified. He
laid down his life to pay the price for the sin that was
ours. But on the third day, God raised him from the
dead. Death is defeated for all who trust in him. That
was Easter.
Now, at this time of year, we celebrate Pentecost.
Originally this was an Old Testament celebration but
for the church, it is the celebration of the fact that God
sent His Holy Spirit to be with the church. Jesus had
told his disciples that he would be with them always
and in the sending of the Holy Spirit, this promise was
and is fulfilled. God lives with us and by faith, He lives
in us. The presence of Christ in the world is the
presence of the Holy Spirit living in the hearts and lives
of every one who knows Jesus Christ as their Lord and
Saviour.
There are many things in this that cause us to rejoice
but if we go back to the seasonal nature of our lives
and with that, the fact that we do not always live our
lives with everything in the garden being rosy, then
what a strength it is for us that, as Christians, the
presence of the Lord is not only with us but in us. This
means for us that in every trial and difficulty that we
face, we never face it alone. God may not always take
us out of the difficulty but He has given us Himself that
He might be with us in it.
Now it may be that you are reading this and you do
not have this kind of assurance because you have
never committed your life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, the good news is that if you make this commitment,
than you too can enjoy the wonder of God living
in you by His Spirit and making the difference in your
life day by day. My prayer is that, by God’s help, you
will be able to commit your life to Christ and know him
as your Saviour and Lord.
May He lead you and bless you.
Bill Ferguson
Pastor
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