I was honoured to be invited to at a
special service because someone in my
family was to be ordained as an elder. It was to be at the Temple in Penygroes,
known as ‘the Mount,’ - a place of significance to many brought up in the
Apostolic church.
After the ordination, the young couple
were commissioned to be part of a team involved in pioneering
work into West Wales.
Not only was I thrilled for their sakes,
but especially because of the honour this is to our family, fruit of that sown
into their lives by their godly parents and grandparents; of those who have
passed on the baton.
But I was thrilled on another count. And
this is what I believe God wants me to share. For at this time we cannot help
but grieve as another great man of God seems to be drawing very near to
Heaven’s gates. Glory for him, but for those left behind, the pain of bereavement.
For through his fervent prayers and his ministry in Wales Wide he was surely
passing on the baton to this young couple as they are taking on his burden for
Wales.
It was while in this
service I felt I must write the following in acknowledgement of David, one of
God’s greatly loved Apostles, who among other things was used to lay a firm
foundation for our fellowship in Porthcawl.
God’s
Mountaineer
Oh
God, creator of the rugged ranges
Thank
you for those with heart of mountaineer
Loving
the great outdoors of open spaces
Facing
the fiercest climb with glad good cheer
Thank
you for those who count each climb a challenge
Taking
their strength from God to face each step
Nor
fear the final peak that’s yet before them
Knowing they’ll
soon be present with their Lord
Oh how we thank
you, Lord, for those like David
His joy to lead us
all to claim the heights
To gain new
strength for every climb before us
And so possess the
land in God’s own might
So may we hear
God’s call to face the mountains
To know we each
can be his mountaineer
To claim new
heights nor fear the steepest valleys
To walk, e’en as
he walks, with glad good cheer.
It is so important for each of us, in our endeavour to follow our
Lord, to prepare to pass on the baton to
those who follow after.
‘The teachings you heard
from me, commit to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also,’ was part of Paul’s
commission to the young Timothy (2 Tim 2:2) So the Kingdom of God will grow.
When I trained to teach Bible Explorer, part of our commission was
that we should pass on the baton, to get others involved in this specific
ministry. Teaching this inspirational course for over ten years, I have sought
to inspire others to become involved, but now not only is my natural
strength declining, it seems this door
of opportunity in the schools might be closing too, at least in this area. But
though we must accept that we can’t go
on for ever, and ministries may change, part of me knew that if I gave up now I
would be failing in fulfilling my
commission.
But as I saw a definite link in these ministries to the Welsh
areas, I felt God reassuring me that we don’t always see the links God is
forging, not the plans he is working out, but we must continue to pray and to
trust that others will take up the baton, while we must continue to pray, as
Jesus told us, ‘to pray the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth
labourers into the harvest.’
Watch this space! God has been speaking to me, to give the doors
into the schools one more push, while reassuring me that he will continue to
renew my strength, and that I will rise up on wings like eagles even as I seek
to be obedient in passing on the baton.
Be assured, God has asked me to share this because he has special
ministries for each one of us, which we must commit to faithful ones who will
be able to teach others also. Let us pray for each other.
