Author: Sue Wilson

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By gad or by God?

Sue’s Views
Many would say that life happens by chance. You are born ….. grow up ….. get a job ….. marry and raise children ….. live your best life ….. and die! They would put success down to them having made good decisions. Others would say they got lucky. There’s an old saying ‘by gad’ ….. which means ‘by luck’. We can either live ‘by gad’ or we can live ‘by God’. Right throughout history ….. we see design ….. purpose ….. and destiny. Abraham had to leave his comfortable home to go to the place God showed him. Jacob had to leave his home to find a wife. Joseph had to go to Egypt in order to save the lives of his family. Jacob had to leave his home to go to Egypt with a family of 70. It still amazes me how God brought Frank from Fiji to New Zealand ….. and me all the way from England to meet in Manurewa! Our tribe now numbers 18! Did that happen by chance? I don’t think so! 

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Life’s Journey

Sue’s Views

Do you ever trace your life back and think ….. ‘If that decision hadn’t been made my life would have turned out very differently!’ 55 years ago ….. my Dad made the decision to migrate to New Zealand. The journey took 6 weeks on the ship in the photo. My pregnant Mum and I were not so keen but left our home and family to go to this far away country. I had no concept of God at that time ….. but have since come to realise that He was in control of our destiny. Of course we have to obey him ….. but through the Bible ….. He moves people to where He wants them. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel and He became a very large family. One of his sons ….. Joseph ….. was taken prisoner to Egypt. Through some amazing occurrences ….. he ended up as the Prime Minister and helped his family out of a dire famine. He later saw that all the trials he had gone through were because God was directing his path for His purpose. We often won’t understand the journey until we look back. 

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Back to School

Sue’s Views
It’s back to school for many today! New things await you ….. new friends ….. new teachers ….. new schools for some ….. and lots of new experiences. Some may feel excited while others are feeling apprehensive ….. but life is full of new beginnings. I pray you will find your place ….. the right friends ….. and the best way to learn for you. Blessings to you all ….. and to all the wonderful teachers!

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Prayer

Sue’s Views
Is life a struggle? Welcome to the human race! We sometimes think that God is there to make life easier for us ….. to get us out of tight spots ….. to provide for our needs. When I read through the Bible I see people who struggle! It’s almost as if God gives them a promise and them makes it almost impossible to fulfil. He promises fruitfulness but they experience barrenness. He promises possession of land but they experience conflict from enemies. And yet ….. God chose to teach us through our trials ….. and build our character through our struggles. He chose men and women of faith ….. and faith has to be tested! His main aim was to make us realise that we depend on Him. He wanted a relationship with us. The great men and women of faith learned to be prayer warriors. Turn your struggles into prayers ….. not that God will get you out of the situation ….. but that He will be with you through it! Maverick needed God’s help to get through that bowl of chips! 😂

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Relationships

Sue’s Views
It was lovely to spend time by the water yesterday ….. and see the yachts preparing for the next race. Just as we arrived American Magic was being put on the water for a test drive. I love how ….. in the midst of competition ….. when one team was in trouble ….. the others rallied round to help. That shows true sportsmanship! Some of us have to learn the hard way though. Jacob in the Bible ….. having cheated his older brother out of his blessing ….. had to go away from home and find a wife. He found a girl he loved and was willing to work 7 years for her. After the 7 years were up, he was given her older sister as a wife. He then had to work another 7 years before he got the one he loved! (Yes! They allowed polygamy in those days!) I guess he reaped what he had sown. All those years he lived in fear of the repercussions of cheating his brother ….. but when they finally met ….. Esau forgave him and welcomed him with open arms. It’s nice to win ….. but relationships are far more important!

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Arranged Marriage

Sue’s Views
Marriages in the Bible days were very different to today. As with many cultures still ….. they were often arranged by two families. There are two examples in the book of Genesis. Abraham sent his servant to find his son Isaac a wife. His conditions were that she must be from among his people. The servant ….. feeling the tremendous burden of responsibility ….. prayed and asked God to make his journey successful. He looked for a girl who would be generous and welcoming to strangers ….. and one who would be willing to leave her family and home to be with her future husband. In other words she needed to be not only beautiful on the outside but a woman of beauty and good character on the inside. Their marriage was successful! Years later ….. they told their son, Jacob, to find a wife among their people as well. We probably don’t like the idea of our parents deciding who we will marry ….. but parents can play a huge part. First they can pray for their future son or daughter in law. Second ….. they can teach their children the kind of qualities to look for in a spouse. Then they can provide the right environment for their children to meet people of similar beliefs. As my Dad used to say ….. ‘Do it once and do it right!’

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Sibling Rivalry

Sue’s Views

It’s amazing how our kids can turn out so different! Right from a very young age ….. their characters begin to form and as parents you see gifting ….. personality ….. and strengths. Of course there is always a bit of sibling rivalry! The differences can be challenging to parents. You can’t treat them all the same. Isaac and Rebekah had 2 sons ….. Esau & Jacob. They were chalk & cheese! They both had a favourite. Isaac liked Esau because he was a man’s man! He hunted and made great stew! Rebecca preferred Jacob who was more of a homely boy. She encouraged him to deceive his father into giving him Esau’s blessing. That did not go down well! Jealousy and resentment led to them going their separate ways. Every child has a God given gift and purpose. It’s up to us to help them discover it!

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The Game of Life

Sue’s Views
We found this park yesterday called Snakes and Ladders. It’s like a real life sized version of the board game. There are dice ….. numbered paving stones …..  ladders  ….. and slides. At the top is a stone with ‘winner’ on it. Great fun for the kids! Life is very much like this board game. The only difference is that board games rely on the throw of a dice. The outcome is decided by luck or by chance. In real life ….. it’s decided by our choices. Everyone wants to be a winner ….. but climbing those ladders is hard work. It takes diligence and determination. The ‘snakes’ are there to take us down whenever we give them the opportunity. This game reminds me of Isaac’s 2 sons ….. Esau and Jacob. Jacob was determined to win and was willing to pay the price. Esau wanted it all now and paid a huge price. You can read all about it in Genesis 25-27.

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Friend of God

Sue’s Views
I’ve come to the end of Abrahams life on my journey through the Bible. God chose him to be the father of many nations ….. not because he was good ….. but because of his faith. His epitaph reads ‘Abraham ….. the Friend of God’. He made many mistakes and showed many weaknesses. One thing I love about the Bible is it’s honesty. It tells it like it is! It proves that God uses ordinary people like you and me to fulfil His purpose. His main purpose was to produce a son through whom all the nations would be blessed. We don’t know what difference our children might make to the world!

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Tests

Sue’s Views

When I think of the word ‘test’ it brings back my schooldays! I hated exam time ….. all that cramming ….. and then being tested on the things you didn’t study! The purpose of a test is to reveal how much you understand. One of the meanings of a test is ‘a procedure used to identify or characterise a substance or constituent.’ Abraham was set the test of all tests when ….. after waiting 25 years for his promised son to be born ….. God told him to sacrifice him on an altar. This man of great faith obeyed God believing that God could bring his son back to life. When God saw his willingness ….. he intervened and let the boy live. God was testing what was really in Abraham’s heart. There is so much emotion in this story and we can only imagine what both Abraham and Isaac went through. But it’s not till we are put to the test that we discover our true desires and loyalties. We all have an ‘Isaac’. Would you be willing to lay him on an altar if God asked you to?