Forecast is Dire

Forecasts for today are dire. I open the curtains expecting a white-out, but it is bright sunshine and a clear sky. Nevertheless, we take a call from a man booked in for B&B, cancelling, because of the snow in the borders. Clearly, someone is getting bad weather but so far, apart from the bitter cold, it isn’t us.

Planning, preparation, precautions. Sensible approaches to life. I quite like to plan trips in broad outline form and allow for spontaneity to supply the details. 

God told Joshua to be strong and courageous, reminding him that He would be with him every step of the way. It takes courage to step out into the unknown, not fully prepared for every eventuality, but it is exhilarating to see God fill in the detail. 

May your days be exhilarating as you walk with Him. The forecast for such days is amazing.

Humble me

Humble me, humble me, Lord Jesus...

For over twenty years, one of the favourite praise songs sung by the teens at our church opens with this prayer. Humble me. The words go on to extol the beauties and magnificence of the world God has created. 

It’s a beautiful world God has created, which humanity excels at spoiling through ignorance, greed and hubris. People all over the globe groan in grief and pain, and it is a heinous shame that the ‘leader of the free world’ has closed the gates to those in greatest need. If copper could weep, the Statue of Liberty would be weeping now.

What kind of a country is being created as the borders close? It’s as if the Iron Curtain is falling again, but this time in North America. It’s not the US I grew up in; it’s not a country inspired by Christian generosity and hospitality but one shrinking into selfish protectionism and cynical suspicion and fear.

May God encourage and embolden those entrusted with maintaining a balance in the federal government, those in the judiciary and legislature who can act to limit the damage being done by so many executive orders. May God keep the rest of us on our knees, and also protesting through social media and on the streets. God bless all those adversely affected by these orders, whether those fleeing repressive regimes or war, or those robbed of humane health care provisions.

Through it all, may humility keep us grounded, and God give us vision, courage and hope for a better future for all. Humble me, Lord Jesus.

Giants

Following on from my thoughts yesterday on courage and God making me brave, I’ve been thinking about how often in the Bible God encourages us not to be afraid but to put our faith in him. 

I’ve just read the story of the Israelites who let their fears run away with them when they were told about giants living in the promised land. Rather than believing God and trusting him to take care of them, they got angry and wailed and even wished they were back in slavery rather than being in the position they were in where they saw giants looming ahead.

Giants rise up on the horizons in all of our lives from time to time, and if we let our fear get hold then we can be paralysed in our current position, alter our route to go around them, or even turn back. 

I believe God is well able to keep me, and so I need to act on that. Whenever fears rise and my heart pounds, I need to put my faith in him and keep going on the same path. 

We get to do the children’s address in church on Sunday and we’ve got a puppet show planned, and that always gives me a wee frisson of fear. What if the logistics don’t work out? What if the point isn’t clear to the kids? What if we get into trouble for not adhering strictly to the text? What if ...

Be bold. Be strong. For the Lord your God is with you. I know this is a pretty pansy giant in comparison with other giants, but it could make me go back and just tell the story in the usual way. 

But no, I will trust in God and step out, puppets on hands and silly voices at the ready!

In God we trust?

Imprinted on American coinage and dollar bills is the motto of the United States of America: In God we trust.

The tragic irony of this motto in light of last week’s dreadful shootings is truly terrible. 

It seems that a majority of Americans do not trust in God anymore, if they ever did. Now they trust in their weaponry. 

I am an American, though I live in Scotland. I know very few people in the States who own weapons, apart from those who use them for sport. But I do know some.  And they own them because they fear all the others who own them.

A culture of fear breeds fear. The more guns proliferate, the deeper the fear grows and the more ordinary citizens feel constrained to arm themselves.

The gun-wielding majority, or at least those who have a powerful lobby on Capitol Hill and influence politicians’ decisions on legislation, do not trust in God. They trust in power, in bullets, in an individual’s freedom to be armed and ready for anything. 

Well, that’s one kind of freedom I guess. But it cancels out the rights of children to go to school without having to pass through metal detectors. It cancels out the rights of children and parents who want safe schools where kids can learn in peace of mind without having an ear tuned to the sound of approaching gunshots.

Tragedies like the one in Connecticut last week are only possible because individuals, fearful for their safety in the home in such a culture, create mini-fortresses stockpiled with guns and ammunition. 

Obviously the perpetrator of the crime was mentally ill. But mental illness and easy access to heavy weapons do not make good partners.

When people ask the questions they always do in the face of tragedy, questions like, ‘Where was God?’, and ‘How could God let this happen?’, we need to be ready to answer. God is there weeping as people only look to him, and then in anger, when an atrocity occurs. 

It takes courage and faith to lay down weapons, but unless people start doing that, the future is grim.

Trusting in God brings perfect freedom. And requires steadfast faith. 

But he is faithful.

In God we trust? It’s time we did.