Dear friends,
Summer is in full-swing here. We are also having a “heatwave” that topped out at about 80 Fahrenheit this week. It makes me chuckle that being here for two years has made me so unaccustomed to such warmth…I blend in with all the sunburnt locals. 🙂 Absolutely stunning to have the sun out this week, though. Scotland is glorious when the sunlight appears. I took a walk yesterday along the boating canal here that runs out to the sea, and the colours of green and blue were vibrant. An old Rich Mullins song came to mind: “Be praised for all Your tenderness by these works of Your hands / Suns that rise and rains that fall to bless and bring to life Your land / Look down upon this winter wheat and be glad that You have made / Blue for the sky and the color green that fills these fields with praise” Yes, be praised, Lord!
Yesterday I was reading Acts 13 and paused to ponder verses 38-39 where Paul says, “Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man [Jesus] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.” I got so excited thinking again about how wonderful the gospel is. Through Jesus we can be freed. Through Jesus we can be freed! That is what I would ask of you to pray this week…that people in Merkinch would respond to the proclamation of the gospel and turn to the Lord Jesus in repentance and faith…and be free. I am moved to tears when I think about the people here and how very enslaved they are in sin and darkness. I ask that you would continue to pray for them and also that our church might persevere in spreading the good news of hope in Jesus.
Above is a picture of the newly painted church hall all set up for tomorrow’s café. Would you continue to pray for our community? A few folks in particular come to mind for us to pray for this week:
Could you continue to pray for the Rabbit Lady? I will probably have only one or two more times of studying the Bible one on one with her before I leave for the States. I’m praying that her heart would be softened to the gospel and that she would be hungry to keep reading the Bible with someone else once I’m away.
Could you also pray for a couple from Madras Street, E&L? They have been pretty faithfully involved with our church family for a couple years now. I’m praying for them that the Lord would draw them to Himself. L in particular seems very hungry to know about the Lord.
And one more…could you also pray for a man that we fondly call The Legend? He is also from Madras Court, and he is known around the neighbourhood for faithfully taking out the rubbish bins (garbage cans 🙂 ) for everyone every week. He can’t communicate verbally very much, but he is a gentle, thoughtful guy. He often comes on Sundays, and recently he has seemed very moved during our times of corporate worship. I see something happening in him…I know that sounds vague, but I don’t know how to put it. I just ask that you would pray that he too would come to know and treasure Jesus…and to know how loved he is by the Maker of heaven and earth.
Thank you, friends, for interceding for us. Really – thank you, thank you. Our labour is hard but not in vain. Because Jesus has overcome the world. Amen! And now this reminds me of another song…and I’ll leave you with these lines from it:
“Take heart, take heart / He has overcome the world / Our joy is born in labor pains / Love suffers long, but not in vain” (Leslie Jordan / Taylor Leonhardt)
Grace & Peace,
Claire
Claire in Scotland 