Happy New Year

Here we are at the start of another new year!

There is much uncertainty in our world. This can lead to an increase in anxiety and worry. I personally find the Bible verses quoted below a great help in difficult times. It is amazing that scripture which was written thousands of years ago in another age and culture can be so helpful to mankind in 2019.

Isaiah 41:9-10 New Living Translation (NLT): “I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand”.

God is for us. How do we know? We have just come through the season of Christmas which reminds us that Jesus came down as a baby and experienced life as we know it. Everything He did was to help us, to rescue us, to give us hope and to enable us to live for good.

Jesus defeated the source of all evil. Even though there are evil things happening in the world today, there will come a day when evil and misery will be gone forever, and peace, love and harmony will reign forever.

As we venture into 2019, put your hand in the hand of God. How do we do that? Start each day with a simple prayer, “Lord God, please help me to be close to you throughout this day”. Start each month by giving thanks for the past few weeks and praying for those who are in need.

May you all know His help and blessings in 2019.

Darkest hour v Johnny English strikes again

Recently I have watched two films. Gary Oldman does amazingly well in his portrayal of Sir Winston Churchill. Watching it just after Remembrance Sunday was very poignant. Johnny English strikes again is a completely different film with Rowan Atkinson at his hilarious best. Both films had something in common. There was an evil plot to take over the world. In Churchill’s time, many in Parliament did not want to believe that Hitler was so bad;

surely you could negotiate with him! Churchill’s reply, “You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth!” Bumbling Johnny English somehow saves the day from an evil terrorist. The hardest job he has is to convince the Prime minister of the villain’s intent.

Here we are in Advent, looking forward to Christmas. Advent means arrival of a notable person. During Advent we remember the coming of Jesus the Messiah, the Saviour, the hope of the world. Remember when Jesus was born, very few recognised him as the Saviour of the world. Only some shepherds, a few wise men, Simeon and Anna and of course Mary and Joseph.

The Christian faith talks about the second advent, in fact in the communion liturgy we are reminded, “Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again”. For two thousand years nothing has changed, and we may be lulled into a sense that Jesus will never come back. As I look at the world today it is obvious to me that we need some help; so often there seems to be so much bad that is happening and no way of changing it. Evil so often appears to be winning!

The promises of the Bible are clear. Evil may get worse, but the Messiah, Jesus Christ, will one day defeat evil once and for all. Life will never be the same. Pain and suffering will be over, and life will have meaning and purpose for ever.

May you experience more of God’s love, peace and joy during the Christmas season.

Don’t Panic Mr. Mainwaring

Dad’s Army was always unmissable TV when I was growing up. Lance Corporal Jones was such an important character; one minute sharing his experiences of the Great War and the next minute worrying himself to death. We live in days when there seems to be so much to worry about.

We can’t get away from Brexit and all the various outcomes and scare stories. During my life there have been many anxious times. I remember once in my farming days, I had milked the cows as usual and the milk tanker had arrived at 8.00 a.m. The driver asked me which company supplied our farm with cattle feed. As soon as I told him he said, “I can’t take your milk. It may be contaminated with lead.” We then went through several worrying days not knowing what would happen to our cows; we didn’t know whether the lead had affected us (as we had been drinking the milk). Our income stopped overnight. The monthly milk cheque was our main source of income. We were not allowed to sell any cattle until they were tested. Of course, we still had bills to pay and we had to care of all the animals, not knowing what the future held.

Eventually everything got back to normal. We were compensated and there was no lasting damage to us or our cattle.

Most of what we worry about never happens. During these uncertain days, turn to Jesus in prayer. He will help you; He will calm you and send you His peace.

We will survive Brexit no matter what happens. Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”