Many of us in RT1 are involved in Tava and its programmes. This week was the last week of Academic Guidance at Tava for the year. On Thursday, we had a time of reflection with the primary school children about how 2023 went, and looking ahead, what they hoped for in 2024, and what they were going to do to help achieve these little goals. Looking back at the past year, I’ve seen some of them grow leaps and bounds, not just academically, but psychologically and emotionally. One timid little guy who hardly spoke developed a new found confidence in himself, and now can’t stop talking! He is super helpful (and sometimes pretty mischievous too) and has really blossomed. I count myself privileged to be able to witness this transformation, and to see first hand what God’s love can do to change and shape lives. May we as a church continue to love this community that God has given us, and show them a glimpse of what God’s love looks like.
On Saturday, we looked at Genesis 45-47, which records Jacob's journey to Egypt to be reunited with Joseph. We know that Jacob was 130 years old when he moved to Egypt, and yet despite his age, he still walked closely with the Lord and was obedient to Him. On that journey, God spoke to Jacob in a vision, and reassured Jacob that He would be with him in Egypt, and that He would make Jacob into a great nation there. God kept that promise, and during the years of famine, even though the Egyptians sold their land and themselves to Pharaoh in return for food, the Israelites (Jacob and his family) continued to prosper and acquire property, and were fruitful and multiplied. We can see clearly that God was faithful to His promise through the generations. He was faithful then, and He is still faithful today.
We also discussed Jacob in his old age. How did he keep that drive and his trust in God alive? We need to continually work on our relationship with God to keep it alive and fresh. There is no cruising or retirement in God’s kingdom. The moment we stop moving forward, we start to move backwards.
We also discussed the pressures of this world and some of us expressed the desire to be the best in our field of work, to win the Nobel Prize, or to just be the best that we can be. Is that us just being very competitive, ambitious, and worldly, wanting to be number 1 in everything and always wanting to “win”? We agreed that God’s design for us was not to be mediocre, but He has put in us the desire for excellence, to be the best that we can be, so that we can give Him glory. It’s not so we can brag about how good we are, or for us to judge others for not being able to reach the mark, but for us to use the gifts and talents that God has given us to shine for Him.
Lastly, RT1 is very excited that A and L are going to India this week to bring God’s love! We pray that God’s manifest presence will be tangibly felt wherever they go, and that signs and wonders will follow them, as they go about loving and serving the people God has called them to. We also pray for God’s wisdom and protection to be on both of them during their trip. Please continue to keep them in your prayers, and we look forward to hearing many stories about the wonderful things that God has done and is doing in India.
On behalf of RT1,
Andrea
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