God’s faithfulness in the rebuilding of the temple:
You can hear the ridicule, feel the scorn and sense the embarrassment!
“What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifice? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heap of rubbish- stones that are burned? Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”
The lesson that the Lord’s children learned through this was that they had to trust in the Lord, believing that the work they were busy with was indeed a great work; a work performed not in the power and might of man, but by the Spirit of God. And they had to act accordingly, by continuing to work faithfully and obediently.
God’s faithfulness in the building of a school:
“The Education Dept was not very impressed with the idea of a church school, and the district inspector made it quite clear that the whole idea was quite ridiculous.” “…Neither was the work done without internal strife. This evoked mockery and ridicule.”
And you can imagine the scene. That group of Dutch migrants, what do they think they are doing? Fancy pouring money into a school when they can send their kids to the local school. And they can’t even work well together! You call that a school? Just wait till the inspector comes, he’ll soon put an end to that! All that effort for nothing!
It was a very small beginning. Joined together by a sense of purpose, in obedient response to their baptismal vows, this group of ‘Dutchies’ set out to build a school where their children would be taught in submission to the authority of the Scriptures. There was persistence in the work, based on the belief that this was a great work; a work not performed not in the power and might of man, but by the Spirit of God.
Today we see the reality behind those words: who can then despise the day of small beginnings? He, whose seven eyes ‘twinkle with delight’ when they look upon the simple faithfulness of His people! After all, it is He who mobilises people so that His work amongst them continues.
Reflect and Rejoice!
With Christian greetings,
M Plug, Principal