Those who know me also know that, on the whole, I’m a glass half full sort of chap, however, right now the only certainty I see is that the uncertainty the world is currently experiencing will be here for a considerable length of time. I had planned for this Thought for the Month to come out sooner, and to be a joyful Easter message. I do pray that; despite world events we can still rejoice in Christ’s resurrection and that we will have the strength to carry His message of forgiveness and love into the world whenever and wherever we can. I had also planned to think a little about the achievements of the Artemis II mission. For now, I will simply marvel at the pictures and hope that the crew talking about the ‘whole of humanity’ will not fall on deaf ears!
And so to the Middle East.
At the time of writing, many in the world will be heaving a collective sigh of relief, but relief about what and for how long? There will be those who are relieved that, for the time being at least, many innocent lives will not be lost or homes and livelihoods destroyed, not just in Iran, but across the wider Middle East. But I wonder how many will simply be relieved that the price of petrol will come down. There will be politicians in governments across the world who will be relieved that peace is at least being discussed. There will also be people in those governments relieved that with a reduction in international tensions and the lowering of oil prices, domestic economic pressures will ease, and with a bit more certainty in the markets their political careers might be saved.
Am I being cynical? Maybe.
There is much talk, on all sides of the current Middle East conflict, about who is winning, who is backing down, who has failed and who is going to control what. Yet surely, given the way this conflict has been conducted on so many fronts, there can be no real winners, only casualties. Among those casualties will be trust, not only between adversaries but also between allies. Even if a ‘deal’ can be struck, however fragile, the great sadness is that so much of the hatred and mistrust that has been ignited and fanned, will simply be driven underground to fester and ferment, only to rise again in the future, perhaps even more virulent.
EASTER
There is one passage in the passion narrative that, whilst read, I suspect is seldom preached on, particularly in mainstream churches.
Luke 23: 26-29 (N.I.V.) Italics and bold added.
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’
I wonder how much verse 28 is resonating with those lying in the rubble and destruction of what was once home.
And lest we forget in all the clammer from those who shout the loudest…
…Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan to name just three of the many conflicts and civil wars raging and simmering
throughout the world today.
Steve
Heavenly Father
In a world full of noise and confusion created by the few
Hear the cries of your children throughout the world.
The lost,
The frightened,
The oppressed,
The injured,
The displaced,
The bereaved,
The confused.
Fill all leaders of the nations of our world
With a true desire for peace and stability
Based not on retribution or self-interest.
But on reconciliation and justice.
Heavenly Father
Fill us with the hope of the resurrection
Give us the courage to call out injustice,
And to call for Your peace which passes all understanding,
To guard and guide the minds of all humanity
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
