Salvos all over Australia say 'I'm in!'
Salvos all over Australia say 'I'm in!'
10 April 2018
Thousands of Salvos across Australia have dedicated themselves to the new national vision and signed a pledge to ‘live, love and fight' alongside others to ‘transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus'.
“Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish!” Ephesians 2:7-8 (The Message).
The last six weeks have been busy. But the good kind of busy. The kind of busyness that energises rather than tires, that inspires rather than distracts.
These six weeks have displayed to me just how blessed I am to lead a movement in this nation with such a multitude of world changers living, loving and fighting on our frontlines.
Throughout this entire Vision Booster campaign over the past six weeks, my travels across Australia visiting the Army’s diverse work have fired my desire to maintain my energy at this level, to ensure the work of our Army continues its life-transforming work in these days and in the decades to come. Yes, rest is a prerequisite to feed our energy, but it is the commitment and dedication of thousands of Salvos that is the reason our movement has such great respect and admiration in all areas of the Australian community, and that gives me the energy I need to keep going. 
I wrote in a recent blog that our movement was on the precipice of one of the most significant collective commitment moments in our history here in Australia. With that moment now come and gone, I am proud to report that thousands of Salvos committed themselves to our Army’s National Vision on Sunday 18 March and Monday 19 March, many of them renewing their covenants as junior or senior soldiers. From Territorial Headquarters’ sites, social program locations and corps throughout the land, Salvos took a stand to collectively say, “I’m in!”
Commitment doesn’t come easy. Commitment is about sacrifice and sometimes suffering. Commitment can bring great rewards but also bring lament and sorrow. But one thing I can assure you of, however, is that a commitment to Jesus and following him as your personal Saviour will be the best decision you ever make.
I was reminded of the first real commitment I ever made when I was looking through my books and saw my framed junior soldier certificate on the shelf. I was seven years of age when I dedicated my life to be a loving and obedient child of God. I stood up the front of the outreach Sunday school of the Sudbury Corps in Canada as a youngster, unaware of the plans God had for my life. The example and commitment I saw in others led me to willingly put my life in his hands.
Commitment to the promises of the Junior Soldier Covenant set the direction for a life of wonderful commitments and indeed the catalyst for a life lled with blessings beyond anything I could have dreamed of or imagined. I have been blessed with a wonderful wife and partner in ministry, two beautiful children, two additional children by marriage and one amazing grandchild. God has also ordained me to serve him every day in the best ministry in the world. All because of that commitment to trust God and follow Jesus.
So today, I want to say thank you. Thank you for committing your life to the mission God has called this Army to. To all Salvos serving in any capacity, whether that is as an officer, soldier, employee, volunteer or member of one of our congregations – thank you for your commitment to this God-inspired vision.
Through this new National Vision, God has given us an invaluable opportunity to rise to the challenge of commitment. As we commit together, I am convinced God will do more than we can ever ask or imagine – for it is his power at work within us, and we are The Salvation Army, sharing the love of Jesus.
Commissioner Floyd Tidd is National Commander of The Salvation Army in Australia.
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