“God is good, all the time, all the time, God is good, for that is his nature.” This phrase was repeated in church every Sunday when Jill and I (and the kids) were living in Zambia. We loved it. Many of the churches we visited were very poor, and the people who attended had been through some tough times—yet every Sunday, they said this and believed it. God is good. He cannot be anything other than good.
I am not sure what situation you find yourself in at this point. If you are ‘up against it’, remember you are loved by a good God. If things are going really well for you, remember it is because God is good.
In my role as a pastor, community trust CEO, and mission agency director, I often have the privilege of seeing God’s redemptive power at play, both in the lives of individuals and in communities. Just recently, I had the honour of watching a diverse group of people—all in their own way broken but redeemed—come together to support a couple going through some pretty deep waters. It was the body of Christ doing what it should do, and it was beautiful. God’s goodness is seen when His people live and love as He did in the person of Jesus. In the phrase I started this letter with, it ends with “for that is his nature.” How wonderful that God’s nature, through the power of the living Spirit of God, is now our nature. How amazing, how wonderful!
I have been reflecting on all this because my heart is full of gratitude. That gratitude comes from knowing that I am loved by a good God; that my sanctification comes not from my efforts but by God’s goodness; that I serve a God who is working redemptively and invites you and me to join Him. How cool is that? And I see it every day. I am constantly amazed at the way God opens doors.
Included with this CEO letter is a picture of Jerome (one of our Board members) with the mission pole trailer up at Waitangi. What a wonderful opportunity to ‘light the path’ for those heading to the dawn service. Very few mission organisations get the opportunity to be present on the Waitangi Treaty grounds in such a way. Praise God that we could serve our country like this.
We have ordered 40 more poles for Ghana, and we have identified the first villages where they will go. Check out our 1st 4 proposed new poles here https://cloud.wanderingsheep.org/ssgateway/ghana/. If you know of someone who might like to sponsor a pole, please let me know.
Please pray for wisdom for Alfred and our Ghana team as they discern which villages should receive the poles. Please pray for Bob and me as we meet with Government officials in Ghana later in March (see the prayer notes for the exact days). Pray for that special wisdom and the right words that only God can give. I feel extremely nervous about my own ability, but profoundly confident in God’s ability—and in that, I shall rest!
I would love to come and visit your church or home group to update you on what is happening and share the stories of lives being changed.
Thank you for supporting us. Please pray with us that Reach Beyond will always stay true to our mission of “Sharing Jesus, Giving Hope and Transforming Communities.”
If you would like to chat with me, please contact me on 021 985 810 or rgrainger@reachbeyond.org.
Pastor Russell Grainger,
CEO,
Reach Beyond New Zealand
Reach Beyond is an international mission organisation with specialised skills in media, healthcare and community development. We’re passionate about reaching the unreached with the Gospel.
© Reach Beyond NZ, 2022
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