Marching Forth!

Today I heard an interesting story from a man who recently visited an island located in the South Pacific Ocean.  As he was driving to a meeting in the morning, he noticed a woman sitting with a small child under a mango tree.  Several hours later, he passed by the same woman - who was still sitting under the same tree.  He asked his guide, "So what is that woman doing under that tree?  Is she waiting for a bus?"  "Oh no," the guide responded.  "She is waiting for a mango to fall.  When a mango falls, she will eat it."  The guide went on to explain when children are older, they become skilled at climbing trees and develop the skill of accurately throwing rocks to cause targeted mangos to fall.  Though her child was not yet able to speed up the process, the woman was content to wait for a mango to fall. There is a lesson in the waiting woman for those who are in a hurry for fruitfulness.  Mangos fall when they are ripe and ready to eat...

" Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever ."   Psalm 136:1 If you have read Psalm 136 , you likely realised that all 26 verses repeat the same phrase:  " For His mercy endures forever ."  What I find compelling about this song is how the Psalmist emphasised the endless endurance of God's mercy through what God did in the past.   We could never use this technique with people for as we all have witnessed, people change.  One of God's eternal attributes is He does not change ( Mal. 3:6 ).  Believers can therefore say with complete assurance God's merciful character revealed in the past will extend to us, following generations, and continue unabated forever. This Psalm serves to stir up remembrance, to direct our thoughts to the marvelous workings of God to deliver His people of their oppressors.  The Psalmist carefully chronicled the mighty works of God in the past so that whatever a reader might be facing, in lo...

Yesterday the shock death of cricket batsman Phil Hughes rocked Australia and the cricketing world.  Hit on the pitch by a bouncer whilst batting on the pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Hughes passed out and never regained consciousness.  He was only 25 years old.  He will be remembered as a rising star whose massive potential was never fully realised, his life tragically cut short playing a game he loved.  My thoughts and prayers have been with his family, friends, and folks in his hometown of Macksville. Tragedies strike every day which are not reported in detail on the news or websites.  Countless, nameless people across the world die on a day and perhaps in a way they could not possibly have expected.  Such a shock occurrence rightly causes a young person to be introspective and consider his own mortality.  In our world, the bowlers keep bowling, the batsman keep swinging, and the international test matches keep coming.  Some people won't...

Have you ever left a dish in the sink thinking, "Somebody will wash that?"  Sometimes we notice a chore hasn't been done for a while and say out loud, "When is somebody going to...?"  When those thoughts are running through our minds, it's easy for us to overlook the most qualified candidate:  ourselves!  Doesn't God clean up your messes sometimes even without you asking?  We are aware of the need, are convinced it should be done, and our observation reveals desire to see the task completed.  So what stops us from being "somebody?" Years ago, I was taught a great life lesson by my pastor.  Along with a group of people from church, my pastor and I helped a family in need move house.  I found it exciting to help meet a person's need in a practical way.  After completing the move I said, "You know, what a great opportunity for ministry.  Somebody should start a helps ministry to aid people in practical ways."  With a twinkle in his...