just another day

The morning was here with Scripture Union.

Our work with young people is vital. This was a chance for those who work in the schools with SU groups to gather together and share with one another (there was another such meeting at night).

It was good to hear of the many different schools where children keep on coming to the SU group. At some of the schools there are something like 60 young children who come along. There are about 20-30 at Davidson's Mains (though they don't all come at once).

We may not ever get long when we meet each week, but seeds may be sown and the Lord can do wonders with seeds!

* * *

Lunchtime saw the resumption of our midweek lunchtime service.

It was great to be back! And the crowd of people there suggested that those who keep coming felt pretty much the same.

We were thinking today about how we react - and why we can sometimes be over-reacting in how we respond to the things which come our way.

* * *

A brief meeting after lunch, then the rest of the afternoon immersed in preparation for two funeral services coming up tomorrow.

Two very different services; and each of them so special for the families concerned.

My call is to serve the Lord. I am a servant of his Word. I have to be always asking Lord, what are you wanting to say?

It all takes time. And services such as these two coming up tomorrow can never be rushed. I need to sort of 'lock myself away', barricade myself against the flow of interruptions, and be able to discern the Word of God.

* * *

The evening saw us gathering again for a time of congregational prayer.

Not very many come out to these times. There's work to be done in that regard. Folk are busy, of course, with a host of other commitments. But we need to be clear that our coming together to pray is an integral part of our life as the people of God.

With a speaker from the Overseas Missionary Fellowship, our focus was on East Asia. Thailand, Japan, and the massive long country of Indonesia, in particular.

Some heart-rending statistics which would surely drive even the hardest of hearts to be crying to God for his grace. And some encouraging statistics as well. Of the roughly 100,000 Chinese people coming to the west each year to study, something like 10,000 are converted and return there as new Christians.

Our God does remarkable things. Often unseen from the eyes of the many.

Who knows what the Lord may be doing 'behind the scenes'?

In the lives of the children at school. In the lives of the folk who come out to the Wednesday worship. In the lives of the people who'll gather tomorrow to mourn.

Who knows?

He's greater by far than we think. And he does some quite wonderful things.