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In a weekly church column usually published in the Medway Messenger, Graham Hill, who is Local Church Leader at the Emmaus Christian Centre, considers how we feel as lockdown is eased.
In the early years of commercial TV, and long before video recording, never mind DVDs, I remember a cartoon advert for the TV Times magazine.
It went a bit like this. A family were in a car, on their way back home from a day trip to the seaside when there was the panic that they might miss their favourite programme.
Mom: "Faster George, the programme starts at 6.15pm."
Grandma: "Slow down, it doesn’t start ‘til 7.30pm."
Kids hanging out of the windows shouting with an expression of panic on their faces: "Quick Dad, it’s on now!"
We appear to be in similar times of uncertainty with social media anxious to have the lockdown completely released. By the time you read this we may well be, with the pace policy changes are being influenced, but schools may have to wait until after the summer holidays.
One of the few things I remember from my GCE O-level English literature lessons (that’s GCSE exams in modern speak) was a short poem.
"I am the daily Mentor,
Who tells the Minster what to do
And when he’s done it
Tell him what he should have done."
As we continue to work through these uncertain times there is that sense within us that holds suffering in horror. The senses take fright at that which they call danger, at all that might mean pain or death, but faith through Jesus is afraid of nothing, knowing that nothing can happen but what is the will of God.
Our senses are anxious about the future and ask how shall we live tomorrow, but faith feels no anxiety.
Those who live by faith have their souls full of new horizons opening before them, marvellous horizons lit with a new light, and a divine beauty surrounded with new truths of which the world is not aware. Thus he who believes begins a new life opposed to that of the world, to whom his acts seem like madness.
The world is in the darkness of night, the man of faith is in full light.
This is reflected in Ps 18:28 For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
So as we continue this Covid-19 journey into the unknown may our government, local and national, seek illumination from and be guided by God’s eternal word and not from man’s finite wisdom. Trusting Him and not the world is a matter of choice.
The closer we are drawn to the Lord the longer we will walk with Him.
Shalom peace be with you.
If you would like to find out more about Churches Together In Medway or what it means to become a Christian, please contact the chairman, Pastor Stephen Bello on 01634 920491 or rccgvictoriousfamily@hotmail.com. You can also click here.
