The Year of the Thorns

I never seem to know what year it is in Chinese . But as we've just had the start of the new lunar year, I saw some news reports about this being the year of the rabbit. Does this mean it's going to be a good year for rabbits?

As for the signs of the Zodiac, I haven't the slightest clue what sign we're in now. If I tell you I'm Sagittarius, don't be too impressed. Except for knowing the names of some of the other signs, that is the extent of my Zodiacal knowledge. But this could be the Year of the Thorns.

I am not one to put much (or any) stock in dreams as being portents of the future or divine messages for the present. That goes for visions (visual images while awake), too. But...

At one of the last Wednesday night prayer meetings of 2010, as various members of the church took turns praying, my head was bowed, my eyes closed, and I "saw" a stalk or branch with thorns growing out of it from all sides. The thorns appeared, one after the other, some of them becoming quite long. They grew rapidly, like in those multi-framed timed exposures of flowers opening in the space of a few seconds, when in reality they take 24 hours to open.

I opened my eyes to put the image out of my mind, but when I closed my eyes again, the image returned. The whole process was repeated yet another time or two. Was this a warning that the coming year would be full of thorny situations? Somehow I felt it was. A few days later I had a similar experience, although the particular thorn-bearing stalk was different. The thorns were much the same.

Perhaps this will be a year of particularly strong testing. It will not get easier before the Lord returns, and we should be thankful to be exercised little by little to grow in grace and faith for the times ahead.

In January I got an e-mail from a young, mentally-disturbed man, who over the past years has considered Americans and America his heroes. Now, suddenly, he has come to the conclusion that I have betrayed him to the authorities, so he wrote me to say that "they (the voices in his head?) have informed me you and your family will die because of your treason." Nice thought for the start of a new year. Is the danger real? I don't think so, but why the sudden change in attitude?

There was already a thorny problem arising in the church. I cannot go into details here, but it became so serious that our church had to remove all her support of Pastor Moiséis and his family, who arrived from Brazil in December 2009. Our prayer had been that his coming would lead to the expansion of solid Bible-teaching churches on the island. At the moment, we are unable to have fellowship with him and the work he is doing. But ultimately, it is divine fire that will try the work of each man, "of what sort it is". (1 Cor. 3:13)

This decision to cut off support was especially difficult for Abbie and me, because we experienced the same thing from churches on a large scale. As far as we know, nearly all the support Pastor Moiséis receives comes through our church, so you must know that the decision was not made without much prayer and overpowering reasons. It was a last resort, a thorn. It is thorny issues that lead to last resorts.

If this is indeed the Year of the Thorns, we can only rejoice in knowing our faith and confidence in God will grow because of them. Of course we have the right to ask God to remove the thorns, as Paul did. Of course, God still has the right to say, "No", as He did to Paul. (2 Cor. 12:7-9)

(Post begun on January 24, published February 19)