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2005 Newsletter Easter Reflections Soon Easter will be upon us again – Part of my Scottish tradition was the family outing and picnic where as children we would roll our hard boiled eggs which were loving hand painted down the hill on our Easter day out. Big drama if you lost your egg! They are good memories from a long time back!! Now we have moved to delicious chocolate ones!! Yum!! 2005 has been an enormous challenge with the Tsunami disaster and the ongoing need for help and reconstruction of lives and property. The response of the nations of the world in their giving was a great encouragement. This tragedy took us all by surprise! For me it again showed just how fragile we really are in the environment. I am a windsurfer and well aware of the power of the sea, I wear my life jacket at all times, yet there are some things that can just take us unawares. We don’t have all the answers to why suffering and we live in a world with many shades of light from bright sunshine to dark blackness, righteousness and evil are evident before our very eyes. Easter puts things in perspective for me showing the redemptive heart of the heavenly Father and just what he is like. Jesus was the Heavenly Fathers true representative (John 14-9 He who has seen me has seen the father.) he walked in the flesh as we do. He witnessed the suffering in an occupied nation, saw the harsh ways of the Romans and in the midst of all this was a light shining in the darkness. The movie “The Passion” put the Heavenly Father’s heart out there again in the public arena, the blood of Christ visible in all the horror, the crucifixion blatant in its cruelty! People were appalled, recoiled in horror, wept, walked out, and were convicted of God’s great love. They could not help but be touched by this Christ who gave his life in such a way to restore us back to the Father and to let us see his great love. In the midst of this world in which we live with beauty, tragedy, life & death we are not alone we have a Heavenly Father who loves us! He gave his most precious gift his own son to free us from our sin and restore us back to himself. The Fathers loveletter ( www.fatherslovetter.com) expresses it like this- I am your Father, and I love you as I love my Son Jesus - John17-23 For in Jesus my Love for you is revealed - John17-26 He is the exact representation of my being - Heb1-3 He came to demonstrate that I am for you not against you - Rom 8-31 His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you- 1John4-10 Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled - 2 Corn 5-18 I have always been father and will always be father – Eph3-14 My question is will you be my child? - 1John 12-13 Remember the true message of Easter-that His arms are always open to welcome us home!!!
Recommended Books The Return of The prodigal Son : Henri Nouwen.
2004 Newsletter FIJI- Latoka Marine Reach Crossroads School. Bula !! That's the all import word for hello in Fiji !! Fiji is a nation that is going through transformation! It was powerful to watch the transformation video on the
events since the coup and a response in God to the problems that arose
out of that time. The prime minister and members of his cabinet have openly
declared their stance for the Lord and their desire to have Gods grace
change their nation. Reconciliation took place in one village where some of the
first missionaries to Fiji had been killed. Family relatives of the deceased
were brought over from England to take part in a powerful reconciliation
ceremony. Prior to this it was explained that the village had bad water,
the crops had been failing for some time, and the fish on the reef were
few and far between. As a result of the reconciliation the stream of water was
changed to be pure, a much higher yield of crops has resulted, and the
fish have returned to the reef!! Amazing stuff!! I would recommend the video. It was a real blessing. The week of teaching in the Latoka Xroads was an excellent
and very encouraging time. The love of the father outlined in his word
touched hearts in a deep way. Many concepts that we have are marred through a wrong representation
of the father. That concept is transferred on to the heavenly father resulting
in barriers that hinder our ability to receive his love. It was great
to see those broken down and to see people visibly affected by his sacrifice
of love for us. (Rom 8:31-32.) It's that love that transforms hearts and leads us out of
the law and into the father's grace. In the Fathers Love, Al |
