Being Bait

 

Dear Friends, 

While you’ve been following the blog I wrote 13 years ago and re-loaded it during this time when we’re on the road, I also promised you a real-time update now and then.  Tony and I realised we’ve been here in Hawaii for more than half the time we’ve committed to, so I guess that a ‘catch up’ time is warranted.

First of all, let me say how we miss you all in Australia.  Clearly you’ve moved on and the waters over the gap we left have filled in, making us both happy that you’re OK without us, but at the same time sad, because we miss you.

So what have we been up to?  We’ll, of course Tony is LOVING his teaching job here and is often amazed at the depth and spiritual hunger of his students.  He was honoured to be able to speak at the 2021 graduation ceremony of the Oahu Bible Institute, even though HIS students will be graduating in the future after he’s gone.  Almost instantly we were bowled over with new opportunities for preaching and teaching, as word got out there was a new kid in town. Every Sunday has been filled, sometimes with two churches on the same day. Tonight we’ll be leading a seminar on ministry to Japanese outside Japan, sponsored by a local church. That should be interesting as we hear testimonies of Japanese who’ve come to Christ overseas. 

Gradually, the word is getting out among the Japanese community, and that’s opened up some more opportunities since a lot of those groups meet at random times and places. So our work is cut out for us.  As another bonus, we’re discovering Japanese friends we haven’t seen in years, and didn’t even know they lived here!  Reconnecting with them has been so rewarding.  

Add to all that, have I mentioned the food? We said this morning we’ve just got to stop this ‘food feast’ before we have to start shopping for bigger clothes! As an example, the pastor at our second church last week said, “I hope you don’t mind, but we’re using you as bait today.” When our eyebrows went up, he explained, “After two years, we’re finally re-starting our after church dinner-on-the-grounds tradition. I’m afraid some will hesitate to come, with all the CoVid fears, but when they hear you’re going to be here, they’ll come.” So, you’re going to be the “bait”. It’s a Philippino congregation, so boy, was it a feast!

On the way home we looked at each other and said, “Maybe that’s all we’re good for, being “bait” to get people to come out of their confinement and into fellowship.  Maybe that’s what ‘evangelism’ is all about.” All I could say was, “Welcome to the feast, throw off your chains and come along, you might be amazed!”

And then we thought back thru our lives.  Maybe we’ve been bait all along.  By our lives and hopefully our spirits, we’ve encouraged people, we’ve…….dare we say, invited people to the feast. I wonder if that shouldn’t be our goal.  I think you, along with us, know the joy of being invited……being included……and what better thing than being introduced to Love and Fellowship, feasting on the blessings of God.

I remember a little song we used to sing before meals at a Christian camp I attended as a child.  I haven’t heard it in years, but as usual the internet came through. Seems “Come and Dine” was written by Charles Widmeyer in 1907. If you want to hear it, just go to Google and it’ll come right up. Sing along when you have a chance, and think again of being “bait” for the sake of the Gospel. I’d like to hear from you, in fact. Tell me about your “chumming” experiences.

The part that I remember goes like this:

Come and dine, the Master Calleth,

Come and dine

You can feast at Jesus’ table anytime

He fed the multitudes

Turned the water into wine

To the faithful Calleth now,

Come and dine!

Come to the feast!

Marsha