Surprise, Surprise!

Life is full of them – surprises – and especially when you have Jesus in your life. So many of our people are away for the bank holiday weekend, and the weather forecast was low chance of rain.

First surprise – weather forecast changed to negligible chance of rain, but overcast and cloudy. So we decided to have praise on the patio followed by socially spaced communion and ministry in the sitting room.

Second surprise – cars we did not recognise turned up, though we did know the people in them. We just did not expect them.

Third surprise – Alfie, Frank’s dog, joined us for the whole meeting.

Fourth surprise – the sun shone, and there were patches of blue sky.

Thank you Bob for leading worship. Thank you Shirlene for leading communion. Alfie ate some bread crumbs, but we remembered that even the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the table! There was time for prayer, for healing and for people with difficult situations. 

Psalm 73 was especially relevant to me and Wendy, having spent an hour and a half sharing detailed testimony with 2 non-Christians during the week, and answered many questions, including ‘Why doesn’t God put everything right in the world?’

In the first half of the psalm the questions are asked, Why do bad people fo so well in this world? Why do they boast and crush the righteous with their words? Why does God let them get away with it? In verse 17 the psalmist really turns to the Lord, and it is revealed – The wicked are not so happy as they seem. They will come to a sudden end, if not in this world, then in the next. God looks after His people, though there are challenges in this world. Thirdly, He promises to hold our hand and to guide us into eternal bliss. 

Thank you to Wendy for banana cake and Shirlene for chocolate cake.

Our next meeting is next Sunday, same place and same time.