The foreshore at Trinity Beach Cairns terminates on the southern end with a rocky outcrop and forested hill. A path leads up to a point where the ocean stretches to the horizon in the east. A cement seat faces the ocean.

On my first morning at Trinity I walked past all these features as I was fixated on climbing the hill behind the beach. This I achieved, though it was very difficult and I bruised some ribs in the process. I really had to work hard both to climb the hill and beat my way through the tropical undergrowth on the way down.

The next time I headed towards this section of the beach, a few days later, I was in a much less driven frame of mind, I had enough space to notice some things that I believe add up to a prophetic message.

As I was praying I sensed that the Christ who dwells in me must be the seated Christ of the post-ascension accounts of the New Testament. For the first time I realised that the Father, not simply “God”, is at rest. He is anxious about nothing; he rests fully in the completed/perfected humanity of Jesus. In Jesus his Father-heart is beautifully restful. In this state of richly sensing the divine presence I started to see things that were already there.

Firstly, I saw that a word hat been painted on the back of the cement seat, this word was PERTH.

Secondly, I observed a cross painted on the rock above the seat, the cross pointed to the seat.

Thirdly, the horizon beyond the cross and the seat took on a new meaning. I recalled that the English word for “horizon” derives from the Greek term (prooridzo e.g. Rom 8:29) used in the New Testament for “predestination/foreordained”

I believe the prophetic message was this: the finished work of the cross points us to the present position of Jesus resting on the judgement seat of God at the Father’s right hand. From this exalted position Jesus is going to bring to pass all that his Father has ordained for the city of Perth. This includes all his promises to you and me about the destiny of our city.  This will not happen through our striving but through abiding in God’s rest in Christ.