Life is full of surprises. Consider my beautiful grandmother, affectionately known as \u2018Gertie\u2019.<\/p>\n
Gertie\u2019s grandson was struggling at school: her response to her grandson\u2019s struggle? (You can listen in.)<\/p>\n
If you study hard this year, once a week at school lunchtime I will cook your favourite meal and dessert for you.<\/p>\n
Would a sixteen year-old grandson have to ponder this for long? A quick walk to Gertie\u2019s from school and \u2018Ah!\u2019 meat pie, tomato sauce and mashed potatoes \u2013 followed by lemon meringue pie! What a way to encourage a wayward student?!<\/p>\n
Who was it who sat her grandchildren down on a Sunday evening in front of a big mantelpiece radio to listen to a special program? Which program? More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.<\/em> The program\u2019s title came from a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The radio program\u2019s sponsors believed that \u2018the family that prays together stays together\u2019.<\/p>\n One hundred years ago my grandmother won a first prize. What prize was awarded? A hint: it was for memorising a Bible passage. What passage? My grandmother won First Prize for memorising the Sixth chapter of the Gospel according to John<\/em>! Now I reckon that\u2019s fantastic! Her First Prize was a book Come Ye Apart: Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ.<\/em> Her prize was to encourage her to continue reading the Bible!<\/p>\n Praise the Lord!<\/p>\n In my humble and unbiased opinion my grandmother won first prize for many things. What I particularly remember are her first prizes in encouraging a struggling student, promoting family prayer and reading and memorising the Bible.<\/p>\n Now, I know that we cannot all win first prizes like my grandmother. But we will all be remembered. The question is, \u2018For what will we be remembered?\u2019<\/p>\n For what do I want my grandchildren, family, friends, church and community to remember me?<\/p>\n For me personally, at my best, I seek to honour Christ and, with his help and in His grace, win a few \u2018first prizes for him\u2019. Therefore, I work at encouragement, prayer and Bible reading. Just like my Gertie!<\/p>\n I think my grandmother would be pleased. \u2018Is there another serving of lemon meringue pie, please Gertie?\u2019<\/p>\n Shalom,<\/p>\n + John Bishop of Tasmania<\/p>\n You can also read my Tasmanian Anglican article from the October 2012 edition on their website here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Life is full of surprises. Consider my beautiful grandmother, affectionately known as \u2018Gertie\u2019. Gertie\u2019s grandson was struggling at school: her response to her grandson\u2019s struggle? (You can listen in.) If you study hard this year, once a week at school … Continue reading BTW Bible reading is made easy this month with the Bible Society\u2019s Live Light in 25 Words program.<\/h5>\n
Why not join me and sign up<\/a>? You can also read the Bible with some Christians from around our nation.\u00a0 I contributed 16 devotionals on the Book of Jonah<\/em>.<\/h5>\n