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| FRIDAY | October 22 |
| “On the record of those who through self-abnegation have entered into the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, stand—one in the Old Testament and one in the New—the names of Jonathan and of John the Baptist. “Jonathan, by birth heir to the throne, yet knowing himself set aside by the divine decree; to his rival the most tender and faithful of friends, shielding David’s life at the peril of his own; steadfast at his father’s side through the dark days of his declining power, and at his side falling at the last—the name of Jonathan is treasured in heaven, and it stands on earth a witness to the existence and the power of unselfish love. “John the Baptist, at his appearance as the Messiah’s herald, stirred the nation. From place to place his steps were followed by vast throngs of people of every rank and station. But when the One came to whom he had borne witness, all was changed. The crowds followed Jesus, and John’s work seemed fast closing. Yet there was no wavering of his faith. ‘He must increase,’ he said, ‘but I must decrease.’ John 3:30.”—Ellen G. White, Education, pp. 156, 157. |
 How do we differentiate between faith and presumption? When and how do we go about asking for signs in order to know God’s will for us?  Some cultures promote passiveness as a virtue, while others see it as something negative. Jonathan was willing to take second place. Is this the same as being passive? Should a Christian be passive? If so, when; if not, why not?  How can you explain to a non-Christian friend the benefits of being a Christian, if he or she sees that you, too, get sick, lose your job, or suffer the loss of loved ones?  Discuss the life of Jonathan in the light of Hebrews 11:32–40. What can you take away from those texts that perhaps could help you in situations that, at least from your perspective now, have dismal outcomes?  How does, for instance, a woman who had been sexually molested by her father show honor to him?  What are things that the world deems “great” that God doesn’t? What are things that God deems great that the world doesn’t? How can we know the difference between these two ideas of “greatness”? |
| I N S I D E Story | ||
| Saving Grace: Part 1 Gana walked numbly down the snow-blown street of Ulaanbaatar [ooh-lahn-BAH-tr], Mongolia. Her thoughts whirled like the dusty cold winds that blew off the brown hillsides surrounding the city and bit her reddened cheeks. How could I have failed the test? She asked herself. I studied hard and even asked the monk to chant a prayer for me. When Father tossed his fortune-telling pebbles, even he said I would do well! Gana had wanted to study economics and accounting at the prestigious national university in Mongolia. But her hopes were dashed when her scores on the entrance exam were too low to qualify to enter the school of economics. She returned to her parents' home and didn't want to leave for fear someone would ask how she had done on the exams. Even her father shouted at her for having failed the exam. She just wanted to die! Then one day a relative stopped to visit. She listened patiently to Gana's sorrow and invited her to visit the Seventh-day Adventist Church with her. Gana was curious about these Christians, so she agreed to go. It would give her a chance to be with people who didn't know that she'd just failed her entrance exams. Gana knew that her father wouldn't approve of her attending a Christian church, so she didn't tell anyone where she was going. Gana enjoyed the service. She loved to sing, and the Christians sang so joyfully. After the meeting the youth stayed for a social. As the young people laughed and talked, Gana forgot her troubles. Gana continued attending the church meetings. When her mother learned where she was going, she simply urged Gana to be sure that she believed in the path that she was choosing to take. But her father was angry and felt Christians were a foreign religion. Gana enjoyed the youth activities and continued attending the meetings at the church. Little by little she fell in love with Jesus. She told her mother that she wanted to be baptized. Her parents didn't understand the commitment she was making, or perhaps they would have objected. The pastor noticed Gana's deep commitment to honesty and truth, and he asked her to become the church's treasurer. Gana shuddered, for she knew that in many Mongolian circles the one holding the purse strings felt free to dip into the funds. Finally she accepted the position. "It made me nervous," she said, "for I knew that God was watching." (continued next week) GANA is the accountant for the Seventh-day Adventist English Language School and treasurer of her church in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. email: info@adventistmission.org website: www.adventistmission.org |
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