Coronavirus

As I write, Coronavirus is having a significant impact on life for many in Britain, so I think I should write about it.  First, at the risk of sounding like Corporal Jones from Dad's Army, I want to say 'Don't Panic'.  This is not the first epidemic to sweep the country and the world and, whilst this virus is very infectious, it is much less deadly than many.  For example, it does not compare with the 1918 global flu outbreak which killed even more people than World War One.

Second, as a Christian I believe in a God whose love and power are stronger than even death.  Through His son Jesus, God experienced human weakness and frailty first-hand and He fully understands our situation.  He hears our prayers, knows us better than we know ourselves, and loves us more deeply than we ever dreamed. In him we can be content and at peace in good times and bad.

Third, we need to behave responsibly. A few days ago, my wife and I did the weekly shop and saw the supermarket shelves completely bare of soap and toilet rolls.  One of the ways in which we can behave with responsibility and care for others is by avoiding panic-buying and trusting the robust supply chains we have.

And fourth, the coronavirus outbreak provides opportunities to care in practical ways for others around us in greater need than we are.  For example, maybe you could do the shopping for a self-isolating neighbour (and leave it on their doorstep of course).

These are genuinely challenging and anxious times.  Let us rise to the challenge and act selflessly.  This would certainly be the way God wants us to live.

David

Love

Yesterday was Valentine's Day, with many a romantic date celebrated across the world.  It prompts me to think about what it means to love someone, and to be thankful to Becky for putting up with me since we got married 32 years ago. As in all marriages, we've had plenty of ups and downs along the way.

I find myself also thinking of what Jesus said when he was asked to spell out the greatest command from God.  He responded by saying two things:

• Love God with all your heart, soul, mind
       and strength; and

• Love your neighbour as yourself.

(You might like to look at Matthew chapter 22 to find out more.)

All too often in our human love for one another, we hold something back, being more inclined to be selfish than to love as we'd like to be loved.  And our love for God is often a half-hearted pale reflection of what Jesus had in mind.  I thank God that His love for us is very different - without limit, leading Jesus to die for us  - and I hope that one day our love for Him and for other people will be more like that.

And finally … a thought about St Valentine.  He was, like me, a church leader.  But, unlike me, he didn't live in a place and time where freedom of belief and speech was a reality.  Third century Italy was a tough context to be
a Christian, and he was put to death under Roman Emperor Claudius II.  For Christians, celebrating this day speaks of an all-loving God who blesses those who love one another, as Jesus urged his followers to do, whatever the cost.

Seeking

As Vicar of St John's, I'm sometimes asked about the sign above the church door, which says, "It is time to seek the Lord".  This is a quotation from Hosea chapter 10 verse 12, and I recently found myself reflecting on four aspects of seeking.

First, seeking often takes time.  The same verse talks about sowing and reaping, which are usually (at least) months apart.  We live in a very 'instant' culture of fast food, 'while U wait' service, etc but sometimes the most important things are not speedy.

Second, seeking can be frustrating and hard work.  The passage talks about 'breaking up unploughed ground', which prompts me to think about those aspects of our lives which are hardened against God, as we try to keep Him out.  I wonder: what aspects of your life would you like to keep God out of?

Third, seeking something new sometimes involves letting go of and saying sorry for past patterns of behaviour.  The Bible uses the old-fashioned word 'repentance' for this - we thought about that in a previous blog.

And finally (and thisis the best part), the seeking works both ways: at the same time as people seek the Lord, He seeks us too (you might like to look at the parable of the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15 to find more).  I hope that your own seeking is fruitful.  

David

Actions have consequences

At St John's we're currently in the middle of a series looking at the prophet Hosea.  Like many prophets in the Bible, his message included warnings about dire consequences just ahead if people wander away from
what they know to be right.  Many of these came to pass, and the phrase "reap the whirlwind" comes
originally from Hosea's book.  If this message were a movie or TV programme, there would be ominous music playing building up to a tragic event.

Interestingly, Hosea's message to the Israelites is mirrored by his own experience with his wife Gomer.  She is unfaithful to him in a way that is symbolic of the Israelites being unfaithful to God and chasing after other gods.

But wonderfully, Hosea does not give up on Gomer, and he welcomes her back into a restored, loving relationship with him.  We could summarise this in just three words as 'loving the unlovely'.  I am so glad that God is like that.  It means there’s hope for me, an you, and anyone who responds positively to God.

Choosing wisely

Today is election day and many of us will be writing an 'X' in a box. This prompts me to reflect on four of the ways the letter 'X' is used and their significance.

Many of us use the letter 'X' at the bottom of a note/email/text to denote our love for the person we are writing to. As a Christian I believe God loves the world He has made and all its occupants, even those who by their behaviour make themselves hard to love.

The letter 'X' is often used to denote getting something wrong. I expect all of us can recall getting back some marked homework and longing to see ticks but instead seeing crosses. And it's not just schoolwork where we make mistakes. All through life we get things wrong, with damaging effects in various ways.

The letter 'X' is often used as an abbreviation for Jesus - for example we write 'Xmas' to mean Christmas (this is because in Greek, the language of the New Testament, the word 'Christ' begins with the Greek letter similar to an 'X' in English). At Christmas we celebrate the fact that God sent Jesus because He loves us (the first 'X') to put right the effects of what we do wrong (the second 'X').

And so we come to our final 'X', which denotes choice. The nation will make a choice today, but all of us make choices every day. I pray that we will choose to follow Jesus, the best choice of all.

David