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This is the Message from the Minister, as published in our Church magazine, The Survey, Spring 2012
Dear Friends,
There is a story from the Desert Fathers about a young monk who asked one
of the old men of the desert, why it was that so many people came out to the desert to seek God, and yet most of them gave up after a short time and returned to their lives in the city.
The old monk told him, "Last evening my dog saw a rabbit running for cover among the bushes of
the desert and he began to chase the rabbit, barking loudly. Soon other dogs joined in the chase, barking and running. They ran a great distance and alerted many other dogs. Soon the wilderness
was echoing to the sounds of their pursuit and the chase went on into the night.
After a little while, many of the dogs grew tired and dropped out. A few chased the rabbit until the
night was nearly spent, but by morning, only my dog continued the hunt. Do you understand," the old man said, "what I have told you?"
"No," replied the young monk, "please tell me father."
It is simple," said the desert father, "My dog saw the rabbit."
I like that tale for the way it reminds us that if you are going to be there for the long run, you have
to be certain of what you are chasing. If you haven’t seen the reason for the goal, but are relying upon the witness of someone else, then there’s a good chance you will eventually drop out of the
race. And, as that wise old Desert Father knew, so it is with the Christian Faith. We have to experience the presence of God for ourselves and not depend upon the testimony of other believers.
All the barking in the world will not substitute for a sight of the rabbit!
The challenge the Church faces today is not so much to speak about our faith - although in a
secular society, there is a desperate need to put across what we believe in a clear, attractive and definitive way - but to introduce men and women, old and young, to the Lord God, especially as we
have found Him in Jesus Christ.
We have recently celebrated Christmas, (Doesn’t it already seem an age ago??) a time when we
always complain that the one in the cradle becomes obscured by the trimmings. In a few weeks, we will be in Lent. Our focus will move to the one hanging on a cross and the incredible fact that this is
the same God as the baby in a manger, who came into the world for our Salvation. It is interesting that our two annual major Christian celebrations centre on the helplessness of the Almighty and the
gift of Himself on both occasions.
How well do we know Jesus Christ? Well enough to introduce him to friends?
I hope so. And, if we’re not that certain, what are we going to do to ensure that we can be more
confident about His presence and more convinced of His importance, not just for us, but for everyone?
Yours in His Service,
Robert Bebb
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