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Tasmanian Anglican

December 2003

Personal

 

Maintaining the pace

by Gladys Dobson

 

 

 'She is a very good "starter" but a poor "finisher".'

This remark was made in my hearing many years ago when I was in Eritrea and I have been forcibly reminded of it while studying 2 Chronicles lately.

I find timely reminders in this book for those of us who, at the commencement of our Christian life, started well but had difficulty in maintaining that close walk with the Lord and commitment to Him.

I read how Solomon, when asked by God to request anything he wanted, chose wisdom and knowledge rather than wealth, riches and honour. The Lord rewarded him by not only granting his wish but by giving him the material bonuses as well. But, in spite of the Lord's frequent warnings, 1 Kings 11:4 shows us the tragedy of his latter years.

Sidetracked

Next comes King Asa with his far reaching reforms and his 'heart which was fully committed to the Lord all his life' (2 Chron. 15:17), yet towards the end God had to chastise him because instead of relying on the Lord when confronted by the Cushites and Libyans, he turned for help to Ben-Hadad, the heathen king of Aram. Brutality to some of his people followed and when disease struck him he called only on the physicians rather than seek help from the Lord.

Thankfully, when we turn to the New Testament we find grace at work in many who did 'run well' but were sidetracked in various ways by Satan's devices. It is encouraging to read of those who were brought back to a deeper love for, and commitment to, Jesus Christ.

Earthly life

Those who spring to mind include not only Peter whose denial and restoration are familiar to us all, but there is John Mark whose desertion on an early missionary journey caused a rift between Paul and Barnabas, and the refusal of Paul to use Mark as a helper on their next outreach. But (thanks to 'Uncle' Barnabas?) at the end of Paul's earthly life he could write to Timothy, 'get Mark and bring him with you because he is helpful to me in my ministry' (2 Timothy 4:11).

The third NT character I want to mention is Archippus, who at one stage of his Christian walk had to be reminded by Paul 'to complete the work he had received in the Lord' (Colossians 4:17). The final mention of this man would lead us to believe that he did heed Paul's exhortation, as Philemon 2 tells us he was then a 'fellow-soldier'.

Injunction

I'm sure we will all want to be like the righteous in Psalm 92:l4 and 'still bear fruit in old age.' So let us 'Senior Citizens' then obey the injunction of the writer to the Hebrews to 'Fix our eyes on Jesus' (12:2) and learn from the Apostle Paul who could say 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.' (2 Tim. 4:7)

Gladys Dobson spent several years with CMS in Eritrea and is a treasured member of the Parish of BayWest.