“As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual home… you are a chosen people… the people of God” (1 Peter 2:4,5, 9,10). First Peter took on new meaning for me this week, possibly because I was watching the corner of the unfinished second floor in the newer building on the Kenya Baptist Theological College be transformed into a shower block during a time of torrential ‘showers’.
 |
Back of building and
in the doorway... |
Rains are continuing in Kenya and there was a rainfall last Saturday night that will be remembered for years. A neighbour of KBTC reported that his rain gauge, measuring up to 8 inches, was overflowing Sunday morning. That does sound questionable, but it could be correct as there were many mudslides that night leading to deaths and destroyed homes, roads and railway lines. Thankfully the damage at KBTC was not severe, though the newly repaired road to the upper campus became impassable again, which leads to a praise. Once again, God provided and with the help of the rented donkey, students and others hauling building rubble each time down the mountain, the road is now passable!
 |
| ... the son of one of the chefs. |
And in the midst of this rainy night and many others last week, the construction on the new shower block was done so that groups, such as a pastor’s conference this week, can meet, eat and sleep in one building. I guess these problems of moving around campus if you aren't able to stay in one building, added to watching stones create new rooms, as well as revived memories led to the new appreciation for 1st Peter!
 |
This bird set atop the door at the front of the
building and constantly looked back at me. |
I guess I should ask: Have you ever experienced quarried stones being turned by hand into usable blocks for construction? Thankfully the blocks used for the shower rooms were already prepared, but I have memories of listening for hours and hours for days and days as someone sat outside our home chipping-chipping-chipping on stones as they turned uneven shapes into a block ready for building, often with the piles of chips taking more space than the dressed blocks!
 |
When I walked away, it flew into what I thought was
a wasp nest in the top corner of the ceiling, but... |
As I read of our being God’s living stones, I realized that this is what he must do to us! Thankfully the stones don’t feel (or at least I don’t think they do) all the hitting and banging needed to make them useful, but we do! Watching the men and one woman work on last week’s construction crew, I also realized that stone work is messy and hard work. The stones are heavy and often these must be moved up and down steps and even mountains (in Africa man power is used more often than machine power). Plus to get everything joined properly the mortar must be added in excess and then removed to form clean and balanced lines.
 |
...it was a nest, which as this one under
construction shows, has two rooms - an entry
room and a larger room for the babies! |
I don’t want to dwell on negatives, such as on-going spiritual attacks as Jack and his team seek to resurrect KBTC, plus in all honesty, I can’t share most of these problems or identify specific needs! But as God’s chosen people, when we join him in his work, we will
“have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1:6) , and be accused of
“doing wrong” (2:12). We must keep our focus on the result –
“that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory…” (4:11).
 |
Another bit of construction viewed this week - a Hindu temple.
I thought the dome was being painted in three colours, but it
was simply three stages right to left of no paint, a base of
rose and the finished marble look - a definite future NUDGE! |
All said (and not said), we ask that you join us in praying that we follow the examples set by our Saviour (2:21-23) and claim the
“strength God provides" (4:11) as we seek to serve him this coming week. Pray that we will be
“like-minded… sympathetic… love one another… compassionate and humble” (3:8) and in our “hearts revere Christ as Lord (and) Always be prepared (in all our actions/reactions) to give an answer to everyone who asks… the reason for the hope” (3:15) and salvation that we possess thanks to the “resurrection of Jesus Christ” (3:21). BERT YATES
--- --- --- --- ---
No comments:
Post a Comment