Oct 1989 - Editorial

At the beginning of their new life in the wilderness it was vital for the Israelites to learn to trust in God for daily necessities. Most of them had never done this in Egypt. There they were ill-treated certainly, but food and drink were always available. The learning process was a difficult one, for it is foreign to the mind of natural man to look to God for help in times of trouble. Our principal article this month draws useful lessons from these salutary experiences of God's ancient people.

Reflecting on these events, the Lord Jesus said, "I am the Bread of Life" (John 6:48) and, "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink" (7:37). The new birth brings new life, eternal life, but the new man needs satisfying spiritual food, not the short-lived stimulation of this world's pleasures.

As the Christian looks at world events he is constantly brought face to face with the problem of human failure. In this issue Focus highlights the troubles in China - just one of the many festering trouble spots across the continents. The outlook for mankind looks bleak indeed. Even apparently stable regimes may unexpectedly be plunged into political turmoil. Those who trust in man's vaunted ability to save himself must have been disappointed times without number. But just like those ancient Israelites, the Christian must place his hope solely in God whose word is,

He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes: and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more: the first things are passed away (Rev. 21:4).

unknown | Oct 1989
Editorial