Grace Communion Lewes

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Grace Communion Lewes Small and friendly Christian group meeting at the House of Friendship, 208 High Street, in Lewes for informal church services. All welcome

We are a small group of “young at heart” people learning more about Jesus every day. We are grateful for his grace; which means he has given us a clean sheet and we can start to grow into the person that He intended us to be. Because He loves us, we are guided by His Spirit to love others. Because He forgives us; we learn to forgive others. The choice is ours, but it is foundational to building better relationships with our family, neighbours and even our enemies. It is an exciting journey of reconciliation and a foretaste of the good news of peace and eternal life that God has offered each and everyone of us. Grace Communion in Lewes is part of Grace Communion International, a worldwide denomination and has over 50,000 members in some 900 churches spread over 100 countries. Our global congregations (from all walks of life) have met under a tree, beside a rubbish dump or in a purpose built building – wherever God gathers us together. In fact, we are all kinds of churches for all kinds of people in all kinds of places. Summary of Our Christian Faith

There is one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God the Father made all things through the Son, sent the Son for our salvation, and gives us the Holy Spirit. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, was born of the virgin Mary, fully God and fully human, and is the perfect revelation of the Father and the perfect representative of humanity. He suffered and died on the cross for all human sin, was raised bodily on the third day, and ascended to heaven. Standing in for all humanity before the Father, Jesus Christ provides the perfect human response to God. Since he died for all, all died in him, and all will be made alive in him. The Holy Spirit brings sinners to repentance and faith, assures believers of their forgiveness and acceptance as God’s dearly loved children, and works in them to conform them to the image of Jesus Christ. The Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God that testifies to Jesus Christ. The Bible is fully authoritative for all matters of faith and salvation. Salvation comes only by God’s grace and not by works, and it is experienced through faith in Jesus Christ. Christians respond to the joy of salvation when they gather in regular fellowship and live godly lives in Jesus Christ. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come.

23/10/2026

The locals like it!

…make it your ambition to lead a quiet life…

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (NIV)

A recent survey revealed that one in ten of us doesn’t like their neighbours. I was rather shocked to find that so many of us don’t get on with those we live beside. Should I be surprised? Probably not, but it is sad. And the worst region to be in for residents who don’t care for their neighbours is the one I live in – the South East.

The report found that being friendly and chatty were found to be good traits to have in a neighbour, but being quiet and peaceful were best of all. Which is interesting, since Paul wrote to the Thessalonians that they should, ‘…make it your ambition to lead a quiet life’ (1 Thessalonians 4:11). It’s also translated, ‘strive to live quietly’, which highlights the effort we may need to go to in order to love our neighbours as ourselves and be the quiet and peace-loving people that neighbours say they value most. The King James Version translates the verse as ‘study to be quiet’, which implies that it may take a little thought on how to be the sort of people those who live alongside us want us to be.

To the Romans Paul wrote ‘…if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.’ (Romans 12:18). And there are times when that goal will prove difficult, as we endeavour to keep the peace. Ever the realist, Paul realised that there may come times when friendly relationships are just not possible.

We look forward to a future time of peace epitomised by the picture of the lamb lying down with the lion, but today sometimes it can be difficult to live at peace with a troublesome, inconsiderate neighbour. When all has been done to keep the peace and when there is nothing more to do – pray – leave it in the hands of a loving God to bring about peace in his time and his way.

In the meantime, let’s endeavour to be good neighbours.

Prayer
Our Father, may Christ be in us, guiding our thoughts and our relationships, so that we may project your peace and your patience with others who live around us. Amen.

Study by: Hilary Buck

About the author:
Hilary Buck is a minister and pastors the Lewes congregation of Grace Communion International.

22/10/2026

Christ our deliverance

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Exodus 14:14 (NIV)

The episode of the miraculous Red Sea crossing was a formative event in salvation history, marking the transition point where the once enslaved, stateless people of the Hebrews, became a free and sovereign nation under God. However, like the entire Old Testament, Exodus remains a closed book unless we can, with our New Testament spectacles, see the Lord Jesus Christ in its ancient pages. Nevertheless, this wayward nation, Old Covenant Israel, for all its wilful brokenness, was indeed called, by the grace of God, to be the repository of the word of testimony, the spring of hope for the world, and the womb of the incarnation.

Whenever people find themselves trapped in a difficult, perilous, or oppressive situation, the inner lamenting cry which yearns to find a voice, is so often found suppressed beneath an anguished longing for a way out. Here is the book of the Exodus, the book of ‘the way out’. The Hebrews entered Egypt as the sons of Jacob, but they will emerge from the Red Sea as the redeemed nation of Israel, marching towards Sinai, ‘the mountain of the Lord’, where the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, will speak to them, in words of cloud-bursting thunder, from the once sacred mount.

The Israelites marched out from the gates of Egyptian slavery, boldly, triumphantly, and with a ‘high hand’ (Exodus 14:8 KJV); yet soon the rumbling sand behind them revealed a pursuing threat, as the armed chariots of Pharaoh followed on their heels (v.8). Having professed faith in Jesus, we may think that the devil, who once enslaved us, has accepted defeat, and retreated into a sulking, solitary shell of darkness. Not according to Jesus, who warned Peter to be on his guard for the evil one, should he gain an entrance, would gladly sift him like wheat (Luke 22:31,32). Later, from the experiences of his own ministry as an apostle, pastor, and shepherd, Peter warns us all, as believers, how our adversary is neither unthreatening nor encaged, but stalks the world and prowls the church, ‘like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour’ (1 Peter 5:8). However, despite his ferocious capacity, Satan cannot sift you, nor can he devour you if, by the faith of Christ you continue to walk in his Spirit and rest in his grace. John likewise reassures us when we look to Christ we have nothing to fear from the devil or his minions: ‘…because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world’ (1 John 4:4 NIV).

As the Egyptian armies overtook the descendants of Jacob, bracing them against the surging waters of the sea, Moses answered the faithless protests of his people: “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:13-14). With the guiding light of the pillar of fire, and the guarding presence of the angel of the Lord, Moses did as the Lord commanded and raised his staff over the waters, causing a powerful wind to divide and hold back the fast-flowing tide. With raging columns of water on their left and right, through a long night of powerful witness, the Israelites crossed, on dry land the same restless sea which soon engulfed the military might of Egypt (vv.19-28).

The apostle Paul informs us these things were recorded for our instruction and encouragement (Romans 15:4), but we are not baptised into Moses, as was the whole nation of Israel (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). Our baptism speaks of our union and communion with Christ, a participation in his vicarious baptism (Matthew 3:13-15), who lived and died and rose again for our salvation, taking upon himself the sins of the whole world, and imparting to us the righteousness which is uniquely his: ‘For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith” ’ (Romans 1:17 NIV).

Prayer
Loving Father, thank you that our salvation rests not in our strength but on the finished work of Jesus. Help us to trust Christ, rest in his grace, and walk by faith through every difficult circumstance. By your Spirit, keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, our Deliverer and our peace. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by: Richard Dempsey

About the author:
Richard Dempsey is a minister in the Peterborough congregation of Grace Communion International.

21/10/2026

Who we truly are
Part of a series – Grace for the journey

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIVUK)

Who are you? That may seem a surprising question to ask, and for some a difficult one to answer. Many will describe what they do for work; others will state what they have achieved; some will talk about where they come from; and others will describe themselves by their relationships: father, grandfather, sister, or daughter. We can even let our strengths or our failures define us. We can also let our circumstances or others’ opinions tell us who we are. The Christian gospel, however, invites us to begin somewhere deeper: our truest identity is found in Jesus Christ. In the header scripture, Paul describes those who belong to Christ as a ‘new creation.’ This does not mean that God gives us a new set of religious rules or asks us to construct a better version of ourselves; rather, in Christ, God has done something far more profound: he has brought us into a new relationship with himself.

As we have seen in the first three studies of this series, this relationship begins with the Father’s love. The Father sent the Son; Jesus became one of us, and through his life, death, resurrection and ascension he has reconciled humanity to the Father; the Holy Spirit now unites us to Christ and enables us to participate in his relationship with the Father. Our identity therefore does not begin with ‘what have I done for God?’ Rather it begins with ‘who is Jesus, and who am I in him?’ Jesus is the beloved Son of the Father. Through our union with Christ we are welcomed into his relationship with the Father. Paul tells us that we have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father’ (Romans 8:15). Our deepest identity then is not that of anxious outsiders trying to gain acceptance, but that of beloved children who have been graciously welcomed into God’s family.

This changes how we see ourselves. Our failures do not have the final word, nor do our successes. We are not defined by our worst mistake, our greatest achievement, our position, our culture, our sexuality, our possessions or the approval of other people: Jesus Christ tells us who we are. This does not mean that our weaknesses or sins are unimportant. Grace does not pretend that brokenness does not exist, but because our identity is secure in Christ, we can face our brokenness honestly, without being destroyed by shame. We can repent without despair because God’s love is not withdrawn when we fail. Nor does grace mean that we remain unchanged because the Spirit is continually transforming us into the likeness of Christ. We grow, not in order to become God’s children, but because we already belong to him.

There will be days when you do not feel particularly Christlike. There may be moments when you question your worth, or wonder whether God could really accept you. On those occasions, look again to Jesus. Your identity is not something you have to manufacture; it is a gift you receive in Christ. You are loved by the Father, united to the Son, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. You are part of a story much bigger than your individual successes and failures: your life is held within the gracious purposes of the Triune God.

So, when negative thoughts about yourself come this week, pause and deliberately turn your attention to Christ. Instead of asking, ‘am I good enough?’ remember you belong to Christ, and your life is already hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). Let that truth shape the way you respond to yourself, to others, and to the circumstances you face. When you succeed, give thanks; when you fail, return to grace; when you feel uncertain, look to Jesus. The Father has welcomed you in his beloved Son, and the Spirit is continually reminding you that you belong. Rest in that truth today.

Prayer
Loving Father, thank you that our deepest identity is found in Jesus. Thank you for welcoming us into the Son’s relationship with you through the Holy Spirit. Help us to see ourselves as you see us, to live from the security of your grace, and to grow into the likeness of Christ. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by: Barry Robinson

About the author:
Barry Robinson is a minister in Grace Communion International and Deputy National Ministry Leader for the UK and Ireland

19/10/2026

Come near

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

Exodus 16: 9-10 (ESV)

How often do we also find ourselves in the in-between, between the Red Sea and the Promised Land? God has determined our destiny. He has made us his own, he has rescued us from the things of this world that enslaved us. We are now free to pursue this relationship with him, but a relationship takes work, dedication, and time to grow. God is already providing for us, working with us, guiding us in this relationship, but we still have a way to go, and personally, I hope this relationship keeps growing and growing without end.

We have already been delivered from the bo***ge of sin and death. We are redeemed and reconciled to God. We belong to God and our future is secure in him; nothing can take this away from us. Amen! But we have not arrived yet in the ‘Promised Land.’ We are still waiting for the fullness of God’s blessing in his kingdom when Christ will return to make all things new and perfect once again. We will not be idle in this process. Just as Israel had a part to play in their provision of the manna and in the possession of the land of promise, so we will also be active in our faith and walk into this new world God will provide for us. To be involved in the process helps us realise the worth of the gift.

In the header scripture, God called the congregation to draw near to him. He did not send them away because of their failures or weakness. He called them to come to him, and he also drew near to them. He not only drew near, but he also made sure they saw his presence in his glory. The Shekinah Glory-the visible, physical manifestation or dwelling presence of God on earth. We may all experience this in different ways, but God makes his presence known to us all in one way or another. The people may have expected God’s punishment when they drew near, but they received a big hug instead as God revealed his faithful presence to them. We are all in the wilderness of this age – we have been saved but evil
still exists. This is why we need to stay close to God and why we need to be reminded of these things.

God heard them (vv. 11-2), God hears us. He knows what is on our minds, in our prayers, before we even form them in our heads. That can be scary, or it can be reassuring. As we read about the grumbling of the Israelites, we must also remember that we too fit into this frame of mind at times. We must not remain in self-condemnation but humbly turn to the God who forgives. For his grace is far greater than we could ever imagine. God knows we are weak, and so he provides his strength for us. What a wonderful God we have.

Prayer
Merciful God of all things good, we thank you for not only allowing us to come to you, but for the way in which you draw near to us. Allow your glory to shine in our lives so that all may see your goodness and faithfulness to your people. We praise you God. In Jesus we pray, Amen.

Study by: Anne Gillam

18/10/2026

My presence will go with you

The Lord [said], ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’

Exodus 33:14 (NIVUK)

There are moments in life when we become deeply aware of how much we need God. We may have been made redundant and face an uncertain future. We may have been diagnosed with cancer and have a difficult decision to make regarding treatment. We may have a demanding responsibility at work and are feeling stressed. Or we may simply feel weary from trying to navigate life and need some rest. In such moments, we can easily imagine that what we need most is a clearer plan, greater strength, or reassurance that everything will work out as we hope; yet, when Moses asks God to accompany Israel, God gives him something far more profound: his presence.

The context of Exodus 33 is important. In chapter 32, Israel had sinned by worshipping the golden calf. Their relationship with God appeared to be in jeopardy, and Moses was understandably concerned about what would happen next, but in the header scripture, God’s response is striking: ‘My Presence will go with you’. This reveals something fundamental about God’s relationship with his people: his presence is not merely a reward for good behaviour. Nor is it something we earn by getting our lives sufficiently organised or spiritually disciplined. God’s presence flows from who God is in loving communion as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and from his gracious desire to share his life with humanity.

For Christians this promise finds its fullest expression in Jesus Christ: the God who promised his presence to Israel has come among us in the person of Jesus. In Christ, God does not remain distant from humanity, he enters fully into our human existence. Jesus is Immanuel – ‘God is with us’, and he has not left us to manage God’s presence on our own: the Holy Spirit is with us and in us, continually drawing us into participation in the Son’s relationship with the Father. God’s presence, therefore, is not simply something external that accompanies us on our journey; through the Spirit we participate in the communion of Father, Son and Spirit.

With God’s presence comes his promise: ‘I will give you rest’ (Exodus 33:14). This rest is more than just the absence of activity or trouble; it points to the deep peace of belonging to God. Our rest is not ultimately found in having control over circumstances, but in knowing that God is with us and for us in Christ. This changes the way we approach discipleship – we do not begin each day wondering, ‘How can I make God come near and be in his presence?’ We begin with the good news that God has already drawn near to us in Christ, so that we live continually in the presence of God.

Whatever lies ahead, take heart, you do not walk into tomorrow alone. The God who went with Israel is the God who has come near to us in Jesus Christ and who, through the Holy Spirit, shares his life with us. You do not have to manufacture God’s presence, earn his favour, or carry the weight of the journey by yourself: Christ is with you, the Spirit is at work within you, and the Father holds you in his love. Therefore, go forward today with confidence, not because you know exactly what tomorrow will bring, but because you know who goes with you. His presence is your assurance, and his rest is your gift.

Prayer
Loving Father, thank you that in Jesus you have drawn near to us, and that through the Holy Spirit you remain present with us. Help us to rest in your grace rather than striving to secure what you have already given us in Christ. Teach us to participate in Jesus’s life and mission today, trusting that your presence goes with us. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by: Barry Robinson

17/10/2026

No exception to the rule

The Main Ingredient was an American soul and R&B band best known for their hit song, ‘Everybody Plays the Fool.’ Although the song is about unrequited love, its refrain alone speaks to us all: ‘Everybody plays the fool sometime, there’s no exception to the rule’

That’s hard to argue with. I’m sure we can all remember some scenario of being played a fool. It comes with a feeling of shame and embarrassment along with the real cost we had to pay for falling for some deceitful scheme. An experienced con artist or unscrupulous salesperson has claimed many a victim with their devious tactics. Sooner or later, the song will prove to be true, ‘Everybody plays the fool sometime.’

However, for the Christian, we know the song is not completely true. There does stand among us one ‘exception to the rule.’ And that exception is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Jesus knew we would be no match for the deceit and fraud of the devil. So, he stands in for us as the one who does not play the fool.

One Gospel story illustrates this with Jesus being put in a no-win spot. It begins with the Pharisees and the Herodians conspiring together; these are two groups who are typically opposed to one another. They devise a trick question about paying the Roman tax that will put Jesus walking a tightrope between the Roman authorities and the Jewish people. After an attempt to butter Jesus up with flattery, they lay out their trick question. Let’s see how Jesus answers:

‘“Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.’ Matthew 22:17-22 (ESV)

Notice first that Jesus was not tricked. He was aware of their intent to trap him. We often only become aware by hindsight. He then calls them out for who they are, ‘hypocrites.’ Jesus is not afraid to call out those who yield power and influence.

Jesus has answered in a way that avoids being accused of subversion to the Roman empire, while at the same time affirming the Jewish belief of the allegiance that only belongs to the One in whose image they are made.

And he does all this while presenting us with the choice we must all make. Do we give ourselves over to the manipulating, and deceitful ways of this world, or do we give ourselves to Jesus, God’s own Son who is our High Priest?

In the end, we can trust that our High Priest will walk back all the former times that we played the fool, redeeming us and leaving us in amazement as well. And on this note the song rings true: There’s no exception to the rule.

Study by: Greg Williams

About the author:
Greg Williams is President of Grace Communion International

16/10/2026

Jesus Is the Centre

Our lives are not random, nor are our days empty of meaning. We confess that Jesus is the centre of the centre. So, we joyfully proclaim that all things find their origin, purpose, and destiny in him. From the first breath of creation to the final word of redemption, Christ stands at the centre. He calls us into lives shaped by his purpose and motivated by his love.

Jesus does not simply offer ideas to believe, but a way to live. He says, ‘Follow me’, and invites us into a life where every moment matters. God gathers all our work, rest, joy, sorrow, faithfulness, and struggle into his redemptive story.

He meets us in the ordinary rhythms of daily life and leads us toward the fullness God intends. In Christ, our lives are no longer fragmented or aimless. Our work becomes an offering of service. Our relationships become places of grace. Our suffering is not wasted but held within the promise of resurrection.

Christ creates purpose not by removing us from the world, but by sending us into it as witnesses to his kingdom. We call this way of life ‘Kingdom Living’.

We follow Jesus in prayerful obedience, compassionate action, and quiet faithfulness. It is not as a way of placing Christ at the centre, but as a response to the truth that he already is. We do not make Christ central to our lives; we awaken to the reality that our lives are already held together in him.

To follow Jesus is to attend to the Father’s voice. It’s to receive the Spirit’s leading. And it’s to allow Jesus to form us by his way of life, even when the path feels unclear or frightening.

I invite you to receive the call of Jesus in your daily lives. Open your hearts to what God has already done and is still doing among us. Christ will shape your priorities, your hopes, your dreams, and your decisions. Our lives are caught up in something far greater than ourselves: the living purpose of God, revealed in Jesus Christ, for the life of the world.

This is a slightly amended study that was first published in the 3 February 2026 edition of the Equipper publication

Study by: Mike Rasmussen

13/10/2026

Living by the Holy Spirit
Part of a series – Grace for the journey

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25 (NIVUK)

The Christian life is not simply about trying harder to become better people: it is about participating in the life of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. That distinction matters. We can easily imagine Christianity as a list of things we need to do, such as pray more, read the Bible more, become more patient, serve more faithfully and overcome our weaknesses. These things can be valuable, but they can easily become legalistic and when they become efforts to produce the Christian life in our own strength, we can quickly become discouraged.

The gospel begins somewhere else: with the Father’s love. The Father sent the Son because he desires to share his life and love with humanity. Jesus, the eternal Son, became human and, as the representative of humanity, lives in perfect communion with the Father. Through his life, death, resurrection and ascension, Jesus has opened the way for humanity to share in his relationship with the Father. But the story does not end there. The Father and the Son sent the Holy Spirit, who is not simply a divine power or spiritual resource but the personal presence of God with us; the Spirit unites us to Christ and draws us into the relationship that Jesus has with his Father.

This gives us a beautiful picture of the Christian life. The Father loves us in the Son, the Son shares his life with us, and the Spirit brings us into that shared life. The Father is not distant, Jesus is not absent, and the Holy Spirit is not merely helping us from the sidelines. The Triune God is actively drawing us into his life of love. Jesus remains central to this work. The risen and ascended Son continues his ministry as our living Lord, representative (Romans 5:18-19), and High Priest. Through the Spirit, he continues to be present with his people and invites us to participate in his ongoing ministry.

So, when we pray, we are not trying to reach a distant God. Through the Spirit, we participate in Jesus’s own relationship with the Father. When we worship, we join in the Son’s worship of the Father. When we love and serve others, we participate in Christ’s continuing ministry through the Spirit. This is why Christian spirituality is fundamentally relational. We are not trying to become spiritually successful people who can manage our relationship with God: we are being drawn into the loving communion of Father, Son and Spirit.

Paul’s words in the header scripture: ‘Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit’, describe a life of responsive participation. The order of what he writes is important: we live by the Spirit first, then we learn to keep in step with him. Christian living is therefore a response to God’s gracious initiative rather than an attempt to make something happen that God has not already begun, and it is thoroughly trinitarian in nature as the Spirit continually turns our hearts towards Jesus; Jesus brings us to the Father, and the Father welcomes us in the Son. The Christian life is, at its deepest level, sharing in the Son’s relationship with the Father through the Holy Spirit.

All of this means that we do not have to manufacture the Christian life. The Holy Spirit is already at work in us. Even when progress seems slow and we can’t see much change, Christ has not stopped working. So, take the next step with him, trust his presence, receive his grace and allow the Spirit to grow Christ’s love in you. You are not walking this journey alone.

Prayer
Loving Father, thank you for loving us and including us in the life of your Son. Jesus, thank you that you continue to live and minister for us and with us. Holy Spirit, thank you for uniting us to Christ and drawing us into his relationship with the Father. May we live each day in the love of the Father, the grace of the Son and the fellowship of the Spirit. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by: Barry Robinson

About the author:
Barry Robinson is a minister in Grace Communion International and Deputy National Ministry Leader for the UK and Ireland

12/10/2026

Incredible Grace

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Exodus 16:2-3 (ESV)

Their memory is already skewed by their shock, fear, and weariness. Yes, they ate bread, this may have been the main thing they did have, but their resources surely were limited. They were slaves, and life could not have been a dream come true. And if God wanted to kill them, he could have done it right there in Egypt. So, they have been rescued by God’s grace and mercy, but this was not what they had pictured as a happy conclusion.

It is like your life being saved from a flood that destroyed all you owned, now you have to start your life over, and it is not going to be easy. You have to find shelter, food, a job, and security, you may have incredible medical bills; and guess what? Everyone else is also in your situation. But they, like us, have our God watching over them despite the feeling that they have been abandoned and forgotten. God did not promise to fix all of our problems, but he did promise to be with us in them and to help us through them.

So how do you imagine God responding to all of their fears and worries; their grumblings and complaints? In Exodus 16:4 it says, ‘Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.’ He responds first with incredible grace. God is already making provisions for them. He recognises their needs. And no, God did not bring them out into the wilderness to starve them, he has great plans for them.

What got my attention was the word ‘test’ in this verse. It sounds so negative, we often associate it with trials or punishment. When the children in school need to take those tests it may feel like punishment to them if they have not done their work or they do not comprehend the study. Testing is not meant to be a punishment, but an evaluation of where the student is at the moment, and to determine what further help they may need to make that goal for the year. The purpose is to evaluate the need and then make provision for it.

The children of Israel are being tested, to know where they are in their faith and trust, and to evaluate where they need help in order to build this faith and trust that they will need in God. Remember, this is all new to them, they have spent their life being taught what to think and what to do. They have entered into a new close and personal relationship with a God, one that used to seem very distant. They are now being taught that he is extremely near and that he will supply their needs. Oh, but it is not going to be that fairytale movie ending, it will be work and a building of trust.

This building of trust will be filled with reminders, such as the Passover celebration for them, and later we will be blessed with the communion celebration for us. As I was reminded in a dance, when the music stops we in time forget the song; when the dancing ends, we forget the rhythm that gave us joy. God in his mercy, gives us reminders-practices, stories, to fill in the spaces and keep us moving forward in the journey. God’s grace is incredible.

Prayer
We praise you God for your incredible love and patience that you display towards us. May we learn to display your character to the world around us as we grow in your love. You are precious to us and we love you God, in Jesus’s name, Amen.

Study by: Anne Gillam

About the author:
Anne Gillam is a retired Pastor in Grace Communion International, Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA.

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