Wise words with...

A 'Good News' story

‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Romans 10:13 (NIV)

I wonder if you can remember where you were on Friday, 3 September when the news came through that little ‘AJ’ Elfalak, the three year old boy who is non-verbal and suffers from autism, was found alive and well? News stories were soon reporting that his rescuers, who had been desperately searching for any sign of him for almost four days and three cold and wet nights, had sighted little ‘AJ’ drinking water from a nearby creek. Within a very short period of time, he was delivered into the arms of his mother, safe and sound.

Some excerpts from these news reports included comments such as, ‘His family describe his rescue as a ‘miracle’.’ The police superintendent in charge of the huge search and rescue operation stated, ‘After four days…..we were desperate to get an outcome such as this….it’s a good news story.’ Even Gladys Berejiklian, the NSW Premier, took the time away from her focus on the COVID pandemic to state, ‘It’s much needed good news in otherwise difficult circumstances.’

Whilst we can understand people referring to the positive outcome of this search as being a ‘miracle’ and a ‘good news’ story, it did immediately make me think of another miraculous ‘good news’ story that we have all been invited to share in.  This ‘good news’ story is presented with amazing clarity through the pages of the four gospels, located in our Bibles at the very beginning of the New Testament. In fact, the original meaning of the word ‘gospel’ came from an Anglo-Saxon word implying ‘good news’ or ‘good story’.

So, what then is this ‘good news’ that the four gospels so clearly set out to share with all of us? The answer to this question is both simple and profound. The ‘good news’ is that God sent His son, Jesus Christ to die on a cross in our place as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. God then raised Jesus from the dead and thus proclaimed victory over sin and death. The Apostle Paul, when sharing this wonderful ‘good news’ message in the book of Romans, stated ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Romans 10:13 (NIV)

Yes, the rescue of little ‘AJ’ was, indeed, a ‘good news’ story. However, the even better news is that God has already put in place a grand ‘rescue plan’ for each one of us. What is more, it will not require hundreds of search and rescue personnel to be searching for us for days and nights on end. This rescue is available here and now and it is being offered to each one of us. 

As Term 3 at NCS has now come to a conclusion, I would wish to thank every member of our school community – students, parents/carers and staff - for your partnership and support throughout what has clearly been a very demanding and anxious time for many. I would remind you that we do serve a faithful God and He has enabled us to continue to offer rich teaching and learning programs through a range of innovative approaches. I also trust that you will have opportunities to rest and refresh during the coming holiday period and we will look forward to your company when we all return to school on Tuesday 5 October for the commencement of Term 4. (Please note that we will provide all school families with further details regarding arrangements for the start of next term closer to this time.)