Pew Sermon for Sunday 6th March

Hello again everyone.

After the storms, I hope you had a good and blessed week (last week).

But for me, well, what a last week its been! No sooner do we attempt to trust in Christ who may appear to be asleep in the boat. No sooner do we start to trust in our own God-given abilities in Him, no sooner do we do all that, we then meet opposition.

In my case, two tragic deaths in the police work that I do, plus one very difficult arrest for domestic abuse which I had (partially) to deal with solo, out of hours, and a long drive away. And with my police boss on half-term holiday, and his phone diverted to mine! Plus, the fact that everyone I know church-wise, including me, is dealing with a flood of baptisms, marriages and funerals, and many related issues requiring love and care. Not least, our own Hugh Harrison’s service at the Crematorium on Wednesday 2nd March. (That day, we also have our two Ash Wednesday services.

The issues come think and fast, and need care and attention, and there’s been little time to draw breath. I expect we all have these busy times, when we have to fend off the ‘saviour’ complex (theological oxymoron as that is), set some personal boundaries, and just do what we can. Not easy to do though, when the Galilee boat of life is fast filling up with none too friendly lake water. But of course, in God, there is always a way…

But when you try and deal with all that, and come to some sort of resolution, last week, ALWAYS in the background – Ukraine. The hundreds of thousands fleeing and leaving their homes and possessions behind. The 80 year old granniespracticing their Kalashnikov skills and using the village fete committee to prepare Molotov cocktails on Saturday morning. The Mothers and children hiding in the underground and in the car basements as their cities are pounded from the air, wondering if there will soon be anything left to go back to. The students and the politicians and the professionals exchanging their laptops and briefcases for guns and target practice and ammunition. And the relentless news reports, with the greater than usual mix of scant facts, useless opinions, mostly out of date and uninformed, and worst of all, uncertainty as to ‘what will work’ to stop the bloodshed, especially of the innocent.

Where do we go with all that?

To a God who hears and answers prayer.

To a God who can and does protect the innocent, for our God is a Warrior – the LORD is His name.

To a God who is not short of time, or money, and who does not get exasperated with intractable problems – for to Him, darkness is as clear as day.

To a God who never panics.

To a God in Three Persons – who act both together and independently, always in harmony, always in communication, always in step with the eternal and celestial music and movement of the divine dance.

In short – In God we trust, in good times and in bad.

Have a brilliant, Godly week everyone, walk with Him and with each other, keep in touch, and see you next Sunday!