- Hope? What for - the end of the pandemic? A vaccine? Not just those glorious things, though I feel sure that they will come. My hope is in God, his faithfulness, his promises, his unchanging grace. After all, it's Friday, but thank God Sunday's coming! Jesus who died rose again on the third day and is alive today.
- Kindness? It is happening. I am seeing the green shoots of a tsunami of kindness. A million volunteers offering to brave the front-line of the virus to assist the NHS and care services around Britain. Doctors and nurses putting themselves in danger to save others - the spirit of Calvary in action - in some cases dying because of their service. Others unable to go home due to a vulnerable person in their household.
- Community? Crowds of people last evening in my road standing outside together (2 metres apart!) to applaud all who are serving on the front-line against this scourge. And as we exercise, isn't there a new sense of closeness to those we pass? Not so much averting their gaze now - more of a sense of 'we're all in this together'. And after all the dreadful division of Brexit at last the political language has moderated. A new unity? Well, maybe that's a bit soon to say, but we do feel that we are striving against a common enemy, and not demonising others for their differing viewpoints.
- Faith? Come on - be honest. There is a small fire burning in hearts that have been cold and faith-dead or years. Of course the questions come - 'why?' 'where is God in all this?' - and that's right, but folk are feeling spiritually peckish again. There is food to be had. Our own church at Vazon Elim in Guernsey is seeing 5 times the number of people tuning in to our Livestream services than would normally be in the building. Worship and witness have taken to the airwaves and burst into new life!
So, on the Easter weekend, let's thank God for the seeds of hope, kindness, community and faith, and then water them with our prayers. As Her Majesty the Queen said; 'We will meet again'. May it be soon, Lord!
