Expect …

Tomorrow is Induction Day – the day when I officially become the Minister of Worle Baptist Church! I can hear in my mind’s ear the words of my theology lecturer at Spurgeon’s College, Bruce Milne, with his engaging Scottish accent, urging his leaving students to expect God to meet with us as we prepared to be ordained and then inducted in our first pastorates.

And sure enough, as hands were laid on me in prayer, I tingled from the top of my head to the soles of my feet. The Spirit of God, I believe, was anointing me for the ministry to which God had called me. Tomorrow, hands will again be laid on me in prayer. I’m expecting God to anoint me afresh as a new and exciting chapter turns its first page.

And speaking of pages being turned … Helen likes to read detective stories and period novels. When she gets towards the end of a book, with its exciting finale and the mystery about to be solved, I get the unmistakeable impression that it’s the best bit of the book. It just has to be finished. (Try taking the book off her, or suggest that she reads the final chapter in the morning, and you’ll soon discover that not reading to the end is not an option!)

My ministry at Worle will be my last full-time ministry. I believe that everything I’ve experienced, and am now experiencing, is leading to an exciting finale. I invite you to join me in prayer, expecting that God will start something special among us tomorrow.

P.S. Helen is scheduled to have her PET scan next Tuesday and then we have an appointment with the oncologist on the Friday. Your continuing prayers for her healing and the sense of God’s peace guarding our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7) are so greatly valued by us. Thank you!