dave dack

On Saturday, eight of us drove up to Bass Lake and rented a patio boat for the afternoon. It was a little colder than I had hoped, but it was an absolutely gorgeous day. We grilled hamburgers for lunch, played Mad Gab, took naps, and fed the ducks. One of the best trips ever, to be sure.

Now, I know you’re all wondering, “Why hasn’t Dave posted about the century ride last weekend?” I assure you, it’s coming, I’m just waiting on some photos.

Why and how do we enter into suffering for the Gospel? The why starts with Christ, who suffered greatly both from his own sufferings and from those of the world. He took the suffering of the world onto his shoulders - he touched lepers, healed the sick, spoke with a Samaritan woman, forgave a prostitute. Following Christ will necessarily take us through the same suffering. There can be no participation in Christ without participation in His mission of seeking and saving the lost, of making present the kingdom of God. This mission took Him deep into the sufferings of the world around Him, and if we are to follow then we must go there also. There is no option, there is no one who is not called to do this - this is God’s will for your life and mine, for our life as His church. Sharing in suffering for the sake of the Gospel means sharing the suffering of others and helping to bear their burdens, which they should not be carrying alone. That is a holy life.