Medway Methodist Circuit

One Church-One People

December January

December/January

We have all heard the phrase, ‘if at first you don’t succeed, then try again,’ and I have no doubts that we could all testify to the blessing of enduring, but even I was taken aback when I read the story of Cha-Sa Soon.

This lady has recently passed her driving test at the age of 68, nothing so remarkable in that fact, but the intrigue in the story is that she has passed her test at the 950th attempt. She took her first test in South Korea in April 2005, and virtually every day since has sat a new test, failing every one.

Now I am not sure if this is a story of endurance or stupidity! I can only assume that this lady has learnt a remarkable coping mechanism to handle failure, or has an extraordinary capacity to persevere. The wise among you will have realised that indeed she still can’t drive, because all she has passed for the moment is her theory test not the practical.

Paul when he writes his letters of encouragement to the congregations of the early Church, often writes about enduring and certainly with regard to praying calls us to ‘persevere’ (Eph: 6;18).

Another of the words that Paul often uses to is steadfastness, or the more modern translation is to ask us to stand firm, in other words, interesting in Galatians 5;1 he reminds us that the reason that we can stand firm, or persevere is that we have been set free or liberated to do so through Christ.

Cha-Sa drew upon her own resources, I guess we will never know at what cost. We draw on the generosity and grace of God that enables us to stand.

Melvyn

Office Address:

Medway Methodist Circuit Office

100 Third Avenue

Gillingham

Kent

ME7 2LU