Attempt Great Things

Attempt great things for God


Last week, I invited you to ‘expect the unexpected’; pausing to reflect that many people’s lives had become so uniform and organised that they had inadvertently forgotten that God can move in power to transform our world and the situations in which we find ourselves.

It got me to thinking that, during my time living in London, I had visited Westminster Abbey. Among the many fantastic objects on display, and commemorative plaques charting the history of Christianity and significant figures in the history of the nation, there was one object in particular that stood out for me.

The object in question was a hand carved lectern that had been gifted to the Abbey in 1949 by the Baptist Missionary Society. It stands at the front of the Church, close to the High Altar and carved into the lectern are these words:

“Expect great things from God.
Attempt great things for God.”

They commemorate the life of William Carey (1761-1834), who was the first missionary to India sent out by the Baptist Missionary Society. These words were the motto for his life’s work. He helped spread the Christian gospel far and wide and is known as the “Father of modern missions”.
As God’s fellow workers in spreading his gospel message, we need to go a step further from simply “expecting the unexpected”. Not only do we need to expect God to move in power, we must be prepared to be his instruments and “attempt great things for God”.
Carey did – and changed the course of history. Was he born in greatness, with particular standing or family power? No – born the son of weavers, himself becoming a shoemaker. Yet, he was assured that the power of God working through him could make a difference in people’s lives. He ‘expected great things from God’ and so was willing to ‘attempt great things for God’.
How about you?


Graeme Parkhill

Expect the Unexpected

Expect the unexpected!


I wonder if any of you have been following the last few games in the race for the Scottish
Premier League football title?

I’m a fan of Rangers Football Club and it’s been quite a roller-coaster season – and especially so in the last few games. Rangers’ great rivals, Celtic, have been going for their fourth championship win in a row and at points during the season have been up to 7 points clear of Rangers and, seemingly coasting for the title.

A few weeks ago, Rangers and Celtic played each other, with the winner taking the advantage in the race for the championship. Rangers came out on top – advantage Rangers. However, during last week a 1-1 draw with Hibernian gave the advantage back to Celtic. All Celtic had to do was win their remaining two games and the title was theirs.

But on Sunday, Celtic could only manage a 0-0 draw with Hibernian. Advantage back to Rangers! Nobody would have believed it possible that Celtic would slip up.
Now we have a nerve jangling final day of the season to see who will finally be victorious.

It got me to thinking that, as a nation, we never expect the unexpected. We always think we know what will lie in wait around the corner. Life has, for many people, become so
well planned and methodical.

In the Church, this is often the case also. We no longer expect anything different from God. And too many of us have become used to decline and a general falling away of the faith in this country. Many see there being no chance of this changing.

How we underestimate God. How little faith we have in a God who can change circumstances with a sweep of His hand, or an outpouring of His Spirit.

We read in Isaiah 43:18, 19 “The Lord says, ‘Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don’t you see it?”

Whilst our country may seem to be heading down a never-ending tunnel to a God-less eternity, let us have faith enough to believe that God can change the direction our country
is taking. Expect the unexpected, so to speak. And have courage enough to pray for a mighty outpouring of His Spirit in this land to see the unexpected actually come to fruition.


Graeme Parkhill