Blog

by Luke KincaidSeth and I went for a really nice walk this past Saturday. While out and about I thought it would be cool to have an impromptu adventure and walk to my parents’ house. So we set off, and after about 5 minutes, I realized how hot it was getting and that I had completely forgotten both Seth’s hat and juice bottle. I also had a sudden feeling of this not being the right thing to be doing in this moment. So we set off back home, and while walking, Seth led us down a little cul-de-sac which I was happy about because of the abundance of shade present! We walked around for about 10 minutes, played on some large rocks, and set off on the final leg of our journey back home. As we walked back to the main road I noticed a young girl, about the same age as Seth, standing at an open entrance of a nearby complex. Her and her dog strolled casually into the road and down toward the cul-de-sac as I stood there confused, not immediately comprehending what was going on. Seth walked after her, seeing an opportunity to make a new friend, while I tried to talk to her to figure out what was going on. Eventually, we all began making our way back to her complex. Upon arriving I flagged down someone inside learning it was her sister and soon her mother came running out to fetch her as they were trying to find where she had gone.What I believe happened is that this little girl and her furry companion curiously wandered out the gate, moments after a car had left the complex, at the exact same time Seth and I were walking past the gate. While thinking through all of this I couldn’t help but contemplate how this situation could have played out in many different ways with most of them having potential devastating out comes. The only explanation I can come up with for why we were there at the right time is that our God knew this was going to happen and helped Seth lead us down that cul-de-sac after our failed adventure which resulted in her being led safely back home not long after leaving.One of God’s primary attributes is that He is omniscient which means that He is all knowing:“God knows everything (1 John 3:20). He knows not only the minutest details of our lives but those of everything around us, for He mentions even knowing when a sparrow falls or when we lose a single hair (Matthew 10:29-30). Not only does God know everything that will occur until the end of history itself (Isaiah 46:9-10), but He also knows our very thoughts, even before we speak forth (Psalm 139:4). He knows our hearts from afar; He even saw us in the womb (Psalm 139:1-3, 15-16). Solomon expresses this truth perfectly when he says, “For you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind”…

by Calven Celliers As someone who enjoys gardening, and watching plants flourish and grow, I am always amazed at the capacity of some plants to spring back to life even after I may have written them off. Once, I had to get a tree feller in to cut down a tree. I decided to leave the stump in the ground as the pedestal for a bird bath. Not too long thereafter, maybe a season or so, the ‘pedestal of my bird bath’ started sprouting new shoots despite the fact that the stump looked deader than dead. The unseen roots of the tree were still nourishing and sustaining the outward stump. “7 Even a tree has more hope! If it is cut down, it will sprout again and grow new branches.  8 Though its roots have grown old in the earth and its stump decays,  9 at the scent of water it will bud and sprout again like a new seedling.”  (Job 14: 7 – 9NLT) Job, in his pain, observed that even a tree that is cut down can sprout and live again, on one condition – its roots are still in the soil! When a tree is uprooted from the ground it cannot survive, no matter how much water and manure you give it. In our own lives we may go through some very tough seasons, seasons where it feels like there is no hope, and we are barely standing because of the difficulties and onslaught we’re facing. But as Job assures us, new life can come and hope can once again be restored. No situation is ever hopeless for the Lord, and nothing is ever beyond His reach. The growth of a plant will only be as healthy as its roots are strong and deep. Roots provide nourishment for a tree by drawing water and nutrients from the soil and delivering these nutrients to the fruit-bearing parts of the tree above ground. Even during a drought, the tree’s roots will burrow deep into the earth, into hard-to-reach places, to seek out moisture so that the tree may continue bearing fruit. Roots also provide stability and strength to keep a tree planted firmly in the soil. This steadfast footing comes in handy and prevents the tree from being uprooted when buffeted by storms and high winds. “God uses circumstances to develop our character. Circumstances are simply character-building opportunities, and the more difficult they are, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fibre. What happens outwardly in your life is not as important as what happens inside you. Your circumstances are temporary, but your character will last forever.” (Rick Warren) Think of it like this, roots are what sustain a tree. Leaves grow and are shed. The hope of restoration of a tree is not in its leaves (outward appearance). Leaves and flowers decorate a tree. No matter how many leaves a tree has, if it is cut down, the leaves will wither. No matter how dry you may be…

by Caryl MollThe African Rock Pigeon chicks fledged a few days ago: fully feathered and perfect for flight.  It’s only their colouring that’s different from their parents. They have been nurtured for over a month now by dedicated parents. They are beautifully formed and fully capable for life above the rooftops. Yet, as I sit and watch their antics, I can only feel sorry for those poor parents.  Sounds of loud, persistent, baby chirping can be heard from the branches near me as the fledglings pester their providers. It’s nagging, uncomfortable and somewhat irritating as my empathy falls to the adults. Somehow these young birds still feel its ok to pretend they are still babies. They fly at an adult with their wings splayed – almost knocking the poor bird over – until he/she relents and regurgitates all their seed for them.It’s not lost on me that we are talking about fully capable young birds that have seed laid out for them only a few meters away. Yet they prefer to beg and steal from the adults – fully convinced that this is ok.“Help me! Help me!” they seem to be shouting. “I can’t do it! I can’t!”Do they want to be babies forever?“Go on. Get it yourself” I’m tempted to call out. “God’s given you wings….FLY!”Dear reader, I imagine that this may sound familiar? Take a look at the passage below and see if you agree with me.With love, in ChristCaryl---xXx---Hebrews 5:11-14Warning Against Falling Away11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.