Ramblings for Kirwan Uniting Church's Keep in Touch pew sheet, 22 September 2019

I’ve driven three and a half thousand kilometres in four and a half days this week, going down to Cedar Creek to supervise packing and furniture uplift, and come back home. (It still looks funny, when I write “home” to mean Cavill Avenue. It confirms that we’re here, together, not shuttling up and down Queensland).  Much of the driving was at night, overnight, even, on the way back.  So this morning, driving first to Aitkenvale Macca’s for Ministry Network, then to the gym, my eyes swept Mill Drive and Charles Street  from side to side on the lookout for kangaroos hopping out from between parked cars and wheelie bins. Forty eight solid hours of Queensland country driving does that to you, it’ll take me a week or so to come back in my mind to suburban streets.

The point is, I’m safe home, by the grace of God and His guarding angels (they work overtime when I’m on the road).  But my mind is still on the Gregory Developmental between Clermont and Charters Towers (a very beautiful stretch of Australian highway in the day time. Emus give you more warning in the day than kangaroos do at night).  We do this with things from our past. It might be unwise actions which have had long-lasting consequences for us and others, it might be unhappy relationships, it might be lingering guilt, it might be feelings of inadequacy and failure.  But you’re safe home now, forgiven and loved unconditionally by our God who doesn’t keep records. Psalm 130: “If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness.” And it’s for a purpose, it’s not just to clear unwise or unhappy left-overs from  your past, but it addresses historic conviction that you’re inadequate, that you’re an imposter in this Christianity lark: … “so that we can, with reverence, serve you”.

John Newton nails it:
Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come.
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.

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