Australia Update!

People at church come up to me often and say things like, "So when are you going to Australia?  I thought you were already there!"  No, I'm not currently in Australia - but I will be in God's time.  In April Laura and I interviewed for the pastoral vacancy at Calvary Chapel Sydney.  I recently heard from the fellowship and it will likely be a couple of months before the process is complete.  In the meantime we will keep praying for God to prepare our hearts, for unity and steadfastness in Sydney, and spiritual discernment to know God's perfect will.

I read this passage after dinner tonight and it is really wonderful.  Ezra 8:21-23 reads, "Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. [22] For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, "The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him, but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him." [23] So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer."  This is fitting for me, my family, and the fellowship in Sydney.  How important it is to humble ourselves, pray, and fast that God would reveal the right way for us to go.

Since the very beginning the temptation has always existed to trust in a hand of flesh when we are to trust in God alone.  We trust what our eyes can see and our minds can understand rather then seeking God's will.  We obsess and plan, worry and fret over our circumstances as if God is suddenly powerless to act.  Ezra knew that God's hand is upon those for good who seek Him.  The word "entreated" is "to search out, to strive after, ask, beg, request."  Are we willing to deny ourselves and become humble beggars so God may help us?  If we are sufficient in ourselves our need for God is reduced to convenience.  After Ezra and the people sought the LORD, He answered them.  He will answer us too if we will do the same!

The times and seasons of my life are in God's hands.  I recall to mind what God has said:  "You will preach, and you will be sent."  The gates of hell shall not prevail against God's church, and nothing is able to separate me from the love of God.  Christ is our hope and confidence no matter our circumstance.  He will fulfill His Word!