LIGHT FOR THE PATH

Light

for the path LIAM HAUGHEY | SUNZ Camp Leader

Iam stunned by the truth of the Scripture in Ephesians 1:3-11, where Paul writes of God’s love for us and His ultimate plan for the world. We read that:

‘Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.’ Let that sink in for a moment! Despite all the trouble humankind creates, God actually desires for each of us to be part of his pure and holy family! It’s not just because he has the power to do this, but because he wants us to share in his perfection. I’ve been reflecting on why—despite this truth—we do not have to search far to see a world disheartened by a lack of fulfilment. Always striving for perfection, it is part of human nature to want more from our lives; a better job, more money, to feel more appreciated—the list goes on. Yet through hundreds of generations of trying, we seem to have made no progress. Recently, I had a sense that I would soon be able to pursue an exciting new chapter of my life. Finishing university, I was expecting to move cities, find a strong Christian community, progress quickly in my career, and forge some new relationships—in short, an opportunity to 'progress' and 'improve' my life. Ultimately, very little of this happened as I had hoped and inevitable disappointment kicked in. Reflecting on this, perhaps we are unsatisfied because we have each been created to love the infinite. Infinite beauty, infinite purity, infinite holiness, infinite peace, infinite truth, infinite love, infinite life. Through my disappointment, I have been reminded that there is only one way to achieve complete fulfilment—to enter entirely into God’s family through the infinite love of Jesus Christ. However, we must be patient in waiting for perfect fulfilment, because this will only happen when we leave behind the burdens of our earthly lives. Paul puts this into context, writing that, ‘at the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.’ I encourage you to hold this truth close and wait on God’s timing with joyful hope for the perfect fulfilment that is to come. Be patient, delight in the grace that we receive every day, and share the Good News with others!

Meet LIAM

Liam, our writer for ‘Light for the Path’, is a SUNZ Camp Leader and Beyond Experience participant. We asked him to introduce himself to you. Here’s what he had to say:

Hi! My name is Liam Haughey. I am 22 years old, and have recently begun working as a civil engineer in Hamilton. Waikato has always been home for me, where I have grown up as the youngest of four siblings. Outside of work I enjoy going on various outdoor adventures, including mountain biking, skiing, and hiking. I also enjoy keeping my mind active through extensive reading of novels, biographies, history, and current events. Faith and prayer have always been prominent in my life. My parents raised me with a strong grounding in the faith and I feel very blessed to have grown up in such a loving Christian family environment. The values instilled in me from a young age undoubtedly helped me on my journey to adulthood. Whilst I have experienced God’s hand in my life in several ways, I have always felt most connected to Him through time spent outdoors in awe of his creation. SUNZ have been a key part of developing my personal faith and prayer life. I first became involved in SUNZ when I attended a Ruapehu snow camp as a camper in 2016. The opportunity to grow in a faith community whilst enjoying the epic NZ outdoors was a life-changing experience. Since then, I have never looked back, going on to lead on snow camps and several others. I am currently part of the Beyond Experience programme as I continue to grow my Christian life and leadership abilities. Although I have no idea what the next few years will look like for me, I’m excited for what the future may hold. I’m currently enjoying the opportunity to rediscover the Christian community in Hamilton and make positive steps forward in my work.