In the Midst of the Years

There is no tarrying with time. The first half of the year is almost gone. As I preached last night I told the congregation that when I stand again to preach next Wednesday it will be July. I also shared how my former secondary school in Sandakan, St Mary's was put under pressure to remove the cross from its new school building. If there is mission school, St Mary's it is. My former classmates in 1976 started a group in what apps and it is not surprising I can hardly recognize most of my school friends except the few who were close to me. Age overtakes everyone. And soon we will enter our sunset years. Ma of Alibaba fame said recently that from 40 to 50 you need to do what you want to do in life and from 50 you should be enjoying life without much work and leave it to the younger generation. That was well said.
But life for me has not even started. The best is yet to come. The better half is just about to begin. I have barely done what I wanted to do in my 21 years of full time ministry. Though I think now a large part is to influence younger pastors those in their 30s and early 40s. A few have risen in rank and stature but we need an overhaul within our ranks. It is ironic in our group of St. Marians, God chose the top two students in our batch to be pastors. When I preached about Paul's theology, in Colossians Paul's brilliance shone through, read Col 3,1-4 and imagine other apostles writing it. You can't because among the apostles Paul was learned one, the apostle to the nations and all Gentiles are indebted to this scholar turned apostle of Christ, yet in my company there is still this myth and romance that one does not need good education for the clergy, God can call anyone, simple folks without much intelligence they say, but God is not mocked. When He calls, He usually reserves the best for Himself.