Dear Friends,
I hope you’ve had a great week so far. I know many will be looking forward to the long weekend and school holidays and getting some rest time in. Our family’s getting the camper trailer packed and we’re looking forward to heading down to Robe for some annual leave over the next couple of weeks. Hoping for lots of time doing nothing, reading, some good walks and some good family time.
As we come to the end of the term I’m reflecting on what a great time we’ve had looking at some amazing stories from the Old Testament. It was such a treat to sit in the story of Esther on Sunday and I went away with those climactic words from Mordecai ringing in my ears: “who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Sometimes I wish I knew a bit more about why God has put me in the places and situations he’s put me in. Sometimes I wish I knew a bit more of his plan and purposes, and I ask things like “what’s God doing by putting me here or putting me through this? Does he have something that he wants me to do here? Is this happening for a reason?”
I think what I took away from Sunday is we that could stand around forever asking the questions. “Who knows?” might be the only answer we’ll get. But that should never stop us from acting. We might not know what God’s on about in every situation, but we do know the truth of the Gospel and we know the certainty of his promises. I think that should cause us to think about the places where we do find ourselves… If I’ve ended up in this office, maybe it’s because God wants me here and maybe it’s because he wants my colleagues to hear the Gospel through my words. If I’ve found myself in this community and with these friends or neighbours, maybe God’s wanting to ‘shine the light’ of the Gospel through me. If I’ve ended up with these family members, these kids, this spouse – it’s not by accident, God wants me to show and speak the gospel to those in my home.
I’m looking forward to firing up Spotify when I’m back from holidays and listening to Simon’s sermons as he takes us through the rest of this epic story.
In Christ,
Matt
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Matt Winter
Associate Pastor
Trinity Church Brighton
0406 124 006
www.trinity.church/brighton