Malcolm Potts October 9th 2016 ~ Trial and Adversity
Ken Baugh makes the observation in the Introduction to a commentary on the Old Testament book of Daniel, "I've heard it said that there are two tests in life: the test of adversity and the test of prosperity. The challenge during the test of adversity is not to give in to despair, not to doubt God's love, power, and presence in our lives. The challenge during the test of prosperity is not to forget God, not to become self sufficient and proud. I have discovered that my life is in constant flux between these two challenges."I resonate with Ken Baugh and I meet many others with whom I share a similar conversation.As we have spent all these weeks with Paul through the journey of Acts, how did Paul resist succumbing to despair or prideful resentment? I can hear him singing the chorus that goes,'I know whom I have believed,and am persuaded that he is ableto keep that which I've committedunto him against that day'.As we begin following Daniel in his life as a Jewish exile in Babylon, we are forced to wrestle with a God whose people have been marginalised, displaced and humiliated and are then elevated to serve and even rule in the court of foreign kings and their gods.How do you juggle life? Who is God? What does he do? What can we expect and what do we have no right to expect? How should we live in these days when the church is silent, irrelevant or 'on the nose'?These are questions we will be reflecting on as we learn from Daniel.
On another not completely unrelated note, those of us who were interested to watch the footy on the weekend saw something rarely seen in leadership today.The winning coach was called up to the dais to receive the first winner’s medal. He said a few kind words and should then have invited the captain, Easton Wood, to join him in holding the winners cup. But he didn't. He checked himself and invited the injured champion and captain, Robert Murphy, to join him. He presented Murphy with his coach’s medal and then gestured to the two men to celebrate with the cup while he withdrew into the background.It was John the Baptist who said in the presence of Jesus, "I must become less and he must become more." Certainly one of the keys to greatness is having the confidence to become less so others become “more” - all they can possibly be.The Bulldogs have seen 60 years of trial and adversity. Their coach has learned something of the humility required to handle prosperity.Whether adversity or prosperity presents itself to us, our confidence is that the one in whom we have put our trust is sovereignly able to preserve what is truly valuable for that day when we will know all things.It is called faith - faith that there is more than this and that Jesus is the way.Blessings,Malcolm