Editorial

And he said, ‘Lord I believe’.

And he worshipped him.

John 9. 38.

The defence of the man that was born blind takes up most of the narrative of this ninth chapter of John’s gospel. It centres on the challenges to the reality of his miraculous ability to see, as well as the nature of the Man that had accomplished it.

We are fascinatingly held by the unfolding story of this man, who out of his dark world of total blindness had come into seeing and experiencing the world that now surrounded him. What he then had come into the good of, he will now hold to. He is undeterred in his convictions, despite the opposition to which he became subject.

We must not underestimate the powerful influences that were at work to make him unsure and possibly force him to deny what, in his heart, he knew was true.

There were social pressures in the neighbours, family pressures in the form of his parents and religious pressures, seen in the remorseless attack of the religiously bigoted Pharisees.

Time and again he resorts to the simple, yet undeniable facts of his experience, the reality of which he was clearly in the good of. Some of the facts of the case he may not be able to precisely affirm, but his personal deliverance and present enjoyment allows him to stick to his ground with irresistible and reasoned tenacity.

He has but two things to anchor him through the storm - the reality of the blessing he now enjoys and the Person that brought him into it.

We also live in an environment that seeks to unsettle and move us away from the things we have come into the good of and hold dearly. We now face the onslaught of pressures from our society, family circles and religious culture that would seek to unsettle our convictions and ridicule the stand we take. Yet our resources are the same as his were – truth that remains eternal with the joy it brings through obedience to it, and the blessed One whom we have come to know, worship and serve, even our Lord Jesus. It is now our turn to say, ‘Lord, I believe’ and worship Him. May we then with good heart wait patiently for His return serving Him with joy and diligence.

Once again it is with a real pleasure I can commend this issue of the magazine to you. Jabe Nicholson’s Keynote article on the responsibility of the older to serve the younger will both encourage and challenge. From the pen of a new contributor, Keith Kyser, we learn how much God values widows, and so should we! You will enjoy the Christ exalting ministry as presented in the articles using Tabernacle typology and Resurrection, drawing out our hearts afresh to Lord. We do hope that the series of articles relating to government legislation will also help to clarify issues and enable us to conform to those things that we need to be subject to as we serve the Lord Jesus. The one in this issue deals with food preparation and presentation.

Our sincere desire and prayer is that this magazine may help to further the work of God and greatly strengthen assembly testimony wherever it is found.