What a game!

Last Saturday night, I was glued to the screen as England and the All Blacks played their hearts out.  What a cliff hanger!!   

Even when the odds in favour of the All Blacks seemed overwhelming, each player remained focused on their task, working solidly and steadily towards their desired end.

Only one team celebrated victory.  The other team, however, did not experience defeat, even though the players lost. They had given their all in pursuit of the goal. Surely honour was also theirs. 

Winning isn’t everything. Success can’t always be easily measured.  

I am reminded of the Apostle Paul. Executed for his allegiance to Jesus Christ, Paul died an apparent failure. Yet, because of his life and work, the good news of Jesus’ redeeming love spread across the known world.

            

As his life ends, Paul seems do a little self-reflection. His questions review not his success in the world but the centre of his life focus -          

            Have I done the best I could for Christ whom I serve?

            Have I gone as far as I could for Christ whom I honour?

            Have I been faithful to Christ who has been faithful to me?

And he responds with conviction: “... the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim 4:6-7). How blessed to come to the end of life knowing that one has done the very best possible to honour the One who committed His all for us. To all who share in the restoring work of Christ, be encouraged.  “Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." 1 Cor 16: 13-14

 Rev Shirley Barker-Kirby

HEALING

Driving a nail in, the hammer glanced off the nail and hit my finger with great force. My finger was half its normal diameter for a short while until it swelled, and it was very painful. I said Aaaaah! The good doctor dressed it and gave me antibiotics to avoid infection. Now, eight months later, the bone chips have grown back on, the new nail is grown and my finger is nearly normal again. It is so good to have my finger back. I am so thankful for all of the medical people, for their great knowledge, skills and care, and to the fantastic health system in this country. 

Healing is an incredible, in-built, property that we all have. Our body is healing from many injuries and sicknesses almost continuously, yet most of this we are completely unaware of unless we stop to think about it. Think about a cut on your finger, it bleeds. If we had no healing, that bleeding would go on forever, your finger would be permanently very sore and unusable, and you would have to dress it every day to stop the blood getting on everything. Next week you cut or bruise another finger. Now you have two fingers permanently unusable. Very soon your whole body would be painful, bleeding, diseased, broken, disfigured, itchy, smelly, etc. I would say Aaaaah again. A friend and I thought we might only live a week if our ability to heal ceased. 

So I am extremely thankful to God for making us so that that we heal. Jesus healed many people using power he had as the Son of God, and he will heal us, both physically and spiritually. 

Alan Radcliffe

For Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship

Alan and his wife Joan have been members of the Gisborne Christian community since 1974, attending the Te Hapara Anglican Church and Mangapapa Union Parish.  Alan joined Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship somewhere in the 1980’s, and over the years held positions on the Takitimu (Gisborne) Chapter committee including 5 years as Chapter president. The Chapter is in recess at the moment.   A busy surveyor, God is at the centre of Alan's work, as evident in his motto "In God we live and move and have our being."