Countdown to Mission

Oh My Gosh!!!!!!

It’s only like 4 days till mission!!!

I can’t believe how quickly time has flown by!!

T minus 4 days and counting… there’s still soo much to do and prepare for before mission!!!

We had our first music practice for the concert time team last night… Man it was weird singing all those Sunday school songs again… it really reminded me how long I’ve been out of Sunday School for… I didn’t even know like half the songs!!!! But it felt weird for the first part of the night singing those “childish” kiddy songs again… But as the night wore on, I started to warm to the task and hand and get back into the groove of singing them, actions and all… J

It was quite amazing really… I had to take a step back and reflect on what we were singing… it never ceases to amaze me just how much truth these Sunday School songs hold in such a short and simple tune… I’ve become soo ingrained and accustomed to singing the more “adult” hymns and contemporary songs… songs that are full of rich doctrinal truths, speaking of God’s character, His love, mercy and grace, proclaiming His glory and name, reminding us of our weakness and sinfulness, and reinforcing our reliance and dependence on Him. Wonderful hymns and songs like My Hope is Built, Rock of Ages, Beneath the Cross of Jesus, How Deep the Father’s Love, Only by Grace, Nothing Can I boast In etc. etc. etc… I can go on and on and on just listing all my favourite hymns and songs…

These songs for me stood in such contrast to the songs we were singing last night. Songs that speak the truth of the Gospel so simply and clearly, within just 8 stanzas, all the C, G or D major… songs that don’t need some complicated jazzy bass and drum rift… but with a really simple basic tune… lyrics like “God is Great… God’s alive… He’s the King of everyone, God’s the mighty, mighty Lord of all… Jesus is the King, ruler over everything. Jesus is the one, promised one the Son of God, Jesus is the Lord, He’s the one you can’t ignore…My God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do…The mountains are his, the valleys are his, the stars are his handiwork too…” Soooo incredibly simple, succinct, concise and true!!!!

As adults we like to engage and flaunt our intellectual powers of reasoning and logic… trying to tackle and fathom wonderfully deep and profound doctrinal truths like propitiation, expiation, justification, sanctification, pre-destination and any other “–ation” you can think of, that we often so easily lose sight of the simplicity of the Gospel. So simple that even a child can understand, repent and believe… Why is it so hard for us adults to do the same???

“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.” – Matt 18:2-4

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” - Matt 19:14

That’s definitely one thing I’m looking forward to being challenged by at mission… seeing the kids thirst and hunger for the Gospel… and believing with such innocent, simple, child-like faith…

Mission looming on the horizon seems and feels so daunting in some ways… I feel so small against the backdrop of God’s great plan… I guess that’s a good thing, cos I know that I can’t rely on my own strength to get through the week… I’ll need to be constantly relying on Him for strength to sustain and carry me… But at the same time, I feel anxious, nervous, and exciting all at the same time! I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us, for me… He is awesome and sovereign, and in control of everything… and I know that everything next week will work towards the proclamation and declaration of His good and perfect Name. Sooo can’t wait!!! J

I dunno if I’ll have an internet connection up in Maitland, but I’ll try and post a daily journal-esc thing… But in the mean time, please keep the whole team in prayer as we finalise last minute preps and stuff…

I’ll post a more comprehensive list of prayer points later in the week…