Words by our Priest-in-Charge:

The Lord is Neither Late Nor Early

“Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth.” Hosea 6:3

Israel, being an agricultural based society during the Old Testament times, considers the timing of the winter rain (former rain) and spring rain (latter rain) utmost important. The winter rain comes to moisture and soften the land so that it is ready for cultivation. The spring rain comes just before harvest so that the crops could grow healthily and guarantees an abundant harvest. The timing of these rainy seasons often compared to the faithfulness of God, because God alone gives rain and therefore, determine the fruitfulness of the year. The Prophet Hosea exhorted the people of Israel to pursue God with all their hearts. His faithfulness to His Covenant with His people is evident through the certainty of the former and latter rain, each came for its own specific purpose.

The Lord deals with us in like manner. He comes to us in different seasons for different purposes. We could not hurry Him through our agenda. We must allow Him to work in our lives according to His agenda. There may have been many things that had happened in the past one year. Some of us may have had a very fruitful year. Some of us perhaps, feel a little bit “unaccomplished” looking back. While others may have had a mixture of both somehow. Whatever our past year has been, it never goes to waste with the Lord. Perhaps the Lord is working through different seasons in our lives, each one of us experiencing the different dealings of the same Lord.

Take courage, my sisters and brothers in Christ. God’s faithfulness to His Covenant of love with us is still unchanged. He is never too late nor too early. Fix our eyes on Him and His abundant faithfulness, no matter how our year of 2012 has been. Look to the next season of God’s dealing in our lives in 2013. Whether it was the former rain or latter rain we have received, pursue Him with all your hearts. He will surely come through to us.

神既不迟也不早到

“我们务要认识耶和华，竭力追求认识他。他出现确如晨光，他必临到我们像甘雨，像滋润田地的春雨。”何西阿书6：3

以色列，在旧约时代乃是以农业为主的社会，秋雨和春雨对他们来说及其重要。秋雨的到来使土地得到滋润和软化以准备耕种。春雨在收成前来到好让农作物能够健康成长并且确保丰收。这些雨季的时机总是用以比较神的信实，因为唯有神降下雨水，因此决定当年的收成。何西啊先知鼓励以色列民全心全意地追求神。他对与他有盟约的子民之信实能够透过秋雨和春雨得到肯定，每个都有自己特定的目的。

神也是如此对待我们。他在不同的季节为了不同的目的来到我们当中。我们不能因着自己的议程而催使神。我们必须让神按照他自己的旨意在我们的生命里做工。在我们当中可能有些在今年过得非常丰富。有些则认为今年毫无成就。而另一些人却两者都有。无论我们过去这一年如何，对神来说总没有被浪费掉的。可能神各自在我们生命的季节里做工，而每一个人的经历都是来自于同一位神的作为。

放心吧，我主内的弟兄姐妹们。神对他与我们盟约里的爱之信实依旧不变。他既不迟也不早到。无论2012年过的如何，让我们双眼注目于他和他丰盛的信实。向前望，看看神要如何在2013年带领我们。无论我们领受的乃是秋雨或春雨，全心全意地追求他吧。他必定会临到我们当中。