college ministry
The experience of reading through the Old Testament as a new convert, and even a seasoned believer, is an interesting one. There is a lot of plowing, of pushing through seemingly meaningless genealogies, foreign place names, weird rituals, and blueprints for everything from tables to temples. It can be quite boring at times if we are completely honest. The reading can feel redundant, repetitive, and even forgettable. There are the moments of curiosity when we read the meticulous attention to detail – the kidneys go there, the blood is splattered here and smeared on the priest’ s right ear, thumb, and big toe?! God can appear hard and severe commanding the slaughter of nations, the dashing of babies on stones, and the stoning of the man who picks up sticks on the Sabbath. Doubts in his goodness are often stirred. The whole is filled with many strange characters. Often the righteous are odious while the wicked inspire compassion.
But then in the midst of all this, there are moments of illumination when suddenly we see the face of Jesus shining in the most unexpected places. Of course the righteous are odious and the wicked inspire compassion because Christ has mercy upon the wicked and clothes our detestable ways in his righteousness. In his light it is clear, the smallest reliance upon our own work in the Day of such salvation is deadly, even if only equivalent to the gathering of twigs. He has been hard and severe on his Son so that he might be merciful to us. Any who reject such mercy dash themselves on the hard severity of that mercy. We realize God is in the details for our sakes, numbering even the hairs on our head and all the more so as it relates to that once-for-all sacrifice for our sin which, according to the psalmist, outnumber such hairs:
“… My iniquities have overtaken me … they are more than the hairs of my head.”( Ps. 40:12)
Truly we find that in and through all these writings, stories, and rituals God the Father has been bearing witness to his Son. As we read, it was there all along and we had not seen it. He who is suddenly so clearly there now, was there then, and will be there again.
Why do I share this?
Because I think that life and ministry are like this. They are filled with a lot of plowing, repetition, strange curiosities, and a sense that nothing is happening. But then there come moments when we realize Jesus is, has been, and will be at work. So it is with the college ministry. Just recently one of the college students mentioned that the carriage house has been their favorite place in Savannah, and another sat at our table listening to and rejoicing in the Gospel.
These moments encourage us to continue. We keep on plowing through the boredom of repetition, in the midst of curiosity, and doubts, and confusion with heightened expectation and hope, knowing that he whom we have seen will come again. And such hope and expectation change everything as we, with the Spirit and the Bride, cry:“ Come Lord Jesus!”
And when we say it, we mean everything that it implies.
We cry,“ come here now” in our lives and among our friends, family and neighbors, come and remind us that even we Gentiles are swept up in the covenant love of the LORD who brought Israel from the house of Egyptian bondage and come, demonstrate as a foretaste now what will be on that final day – God in Christ by the Holy Spirit saves.
Thus with expectation and hope in the promise of the Lord’ s blessing, we will continue to have Saturday coffee at the carriage house, regular lunch gatherings on Sunday after the morning service, and we plan to add a monthly meal for any interested SCAD students( which, if it grows, may need more than one host!).
Children’ s Ministry
Please be in prayer for our families at Independent Presbyterian Church as they start a new year. With the snow melted and everyone back at their school work and extra curricular activities, please pray a hedge around them. It is so important and defining for children to have family time at home without the distractions of hectic schedules. Let us all pray that God would give them opportunities to fellowship, eat, and worship together.
Would you please pray for those that teach our children in Sunday School and Children ' s Church? What a blessing to have faithful members that come along beside our parents to teach our children. Thank you Linden Helmly, Sue Hinely, Charlie Martin, Bev Van Grouw and the host of others that teach our Children ' s Church.
Amy R. Martin
– Evan Gear
MEMORIZATION RECOGNITION
Congratulations to Julia Grace Miles and Ruth Ann Sutton who have completed Level 1 of the memorization program. They recited word perfect the Ten Commandments, the Lord’ s Prayer, and the Apostles’ Creed. They will be recognized in one of our Sunday worship services where they will receive an award of achievement as well as a gift card and candy. Please take a moment to congratulate them.
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