Strictly Obeying Orders

 I had plans. Big plans. It is Christmas after all. I certainly want to be at everything in my local church over this special season. I love the carols, watching the children's faces, sensing the sacred atmosphere, and speaking about the real meaning of Christmas from the pulpit. But, then came that dreaded four letter word. I was sitting in the doctor's surgery with my wife Diane there as witness. 'Rest' the GP said, 'do nothing at all'. 'What?' I replied shocked, 'you have got to be kidding me'. Her stern but caring look said it all. No kidding! My heart is struggling. 'Cascade angina' she opined. 'I want you to have your feet up watching Strictly Come Dancing'. My goodness, I would have to be ill to do that!

It's not just that I have had so much care and attention paid to my physical recovery from 22 years of agony that if I keel over this Christmas, would all be wasted. Nor is it just that I love my family so much that I owe it to them not to drive myself to an early grave. I think that God is trying tell me something about learning to lean on Him and enter into a rest which is important for us all. It may be inconvenient, but it is no less significant. 

Learning to rest in God and the work of Jesus on our behalf is a key Christian virtue. In the book of Hebrews we read "The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God. So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience." (Heb. 4:11 The Message) So, I want to obey and learn to rest.

I think God can 'do' Christmas without my help. With tongue in cheek I recall the line from Monty Python's film 'Life of Brian' which so shocked the Christian world in the late 1970's. "No, he's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy". Perhaps I need to deal with my messianic complex myself - the desire to always 'be there' for others.

So, it is going to be a quiet Christmas for me. But nothing and nobody can take away the joy and peace that I feel celebrating the birthday of my precious Lord. Just with my feet up.

Is there any hope?

 

I listened to an interview with the renowned artist Tracey Emin on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on the 3rd December. After having major cancer in 2020 and being told she would not see Christmas, Tracey is now recovering well following major surgery and treatment. She said, ‘I’m taking every day as it comes, I’m just so happy to be alive’. You could hear the joy and relief in her voice. Her surgical team call her ‘miracle woman’ because she was not expected to be alive to see Christmas. 

Tracey told us how that she is more balanced now, more cautious and feels like she has been forgiven and that a great curse has been lifted from her life. ‘If the choice was losing your bladder to survive and be happy – I chose to be happy’. She had a near-death experience, making her will and ordering her affairs, and then she was set free. ‘You prepare yourself and then receive a sudden reprieve. I will never ever take anything for granted again and I will do my best in every day, every moment. I’m on the cusp of something great’, she burbled joyfully. 

Hope has come to her. Hope is the Christmas message. I too came near to death, more than once, and survived. I made my will several times and wrote out my funeral plans etc. But that was not God’s plan for me, and I am grateful. I also feel that a great curse has been lifted off from my life, and despite my advancing years, I too can’t shake off the feeling that she describes that I’m on the cusp of something great! I see it happening in the church I serve. I have hope now, but it’s all because of Jesus and Christmas.

This pandemic has been awful. There’s a lot of darkness and despair around, but I take hope from hope, and from the message of Christmas. This is how Eddie Askew puts it in his book of prayers and poems called No Strange Land (p65):

I hope for hope, Lord.

The seeds of light sown in the darkness round your cross,

germinate, and flower and fruit

in the fallow fields of my small life.

My hope starts in your death and resurrection.

Continues in the certainty of your presence.

Fulfills itself in the clear calm confidence

of final victory.

For now, I cling to hope's small seedling.

Feel like cancelling Christmas?

 

Feel like cancelling Christmas? Maybe the early surge of Christmas mania leaves you feeling cold - perhaps sad. This year's Christmas celebrations are bound to be tinged with a certain degree of fear, if not disappointment. Can I hug my grandchildren? Well - no not in my case because our borders are tightly closed and they live across the sea. But can anyone hug their grand-anythings? Nobody wants to be the one who passed on the dreadful Covid-19 bug to the older members of their families. The British government may be declaring a 5-day break from the tightest of rules, but we all know that a spike of infections in January is no way to begin a 'happy New Year'.

And what of Christmas worship celebrations? No carol singing inside? Social distancing for any parents attending what Nativity displays may be put on? As the Prime Minister said 'T'is the season to be jolly careful!'

So do we cancel Christmas then? Not at all. This weekend we enter the season of Advent with perhaps more reasons than any since the Second World War to refocus our thinking on what really matters about the celebration. Of course we all love the trimmings, the glitter, the sense of being together, the food etc, but back of it all is the message that Christ came into a world full of trouble and sorrow. Born into obscurity, at a time of enemy occupation and oppression, to a couple facing major upheaval within a very short time of his birth.

The Christmas story is good news, but it is set against a backcloth of very bad news. All the children under 2 years of age in the district where Jesus was born were slaughtered by troops on a vicious blood-fest. He was only saved by his parents fleeing to an Egyptian refugee camp over the border. So, if you feel like Advent 2020 is coming at the wrong time completely, take heart. That's why Jesus came. To turn our despair to hope, and our distress to comfort and joy.

A Pandemic of Loneliness

 According to recently published research, in total, 45% of adults feel occasionally, sometimes or often lonely in England. This equates to twenty million people. Characteristics of people who are more likely to experience loneliness include: those who are widowed, those with poorer health and those with long-term illness or disability. 43.45% of the group reporting bad or very bad health are often/always lonely. There is no doubt that being chronically unwell isolates people.

I believe that isolation, although sometimes necessary to prevent the spread of disease, is itself a potentially dangerous experience. Solitude is one thing – where one seeks ‘aloneness’ for spiritual or psychological refreshing – but isolation can be a tool in the hand of our enemy and accuser, Satan. It may be forced upon us, but we must take practical steps to try and minimise any damage that may be caused. I speak about this, among many other things, in my book ‘Through the Storms; a manual for when life hurts’.

From the other side of the coin, I try to keep my eyes peeled for folk who may be lonely. A smile, a word of greeting, an offer of practical help, an enquiry if all is well, may each be a way of bridging the gap with someone who is feeling isolated and lonely. High rise blocks of apartments are deadly for this problem, hiding folk away and putting them in files and boxes. When folk do emerge, they are often wary and fearful. We need to find ways of taking an interest in others well-being without overpowering them or disrespecting their personal space. It’s a difficult balance, but the pandemic of loneliness is also deadly and there will be lives lost as a result.

This is where your local church community can be a literal ‘God-send’. Its foodbank, or church cafe, or drop-in centre, offers real hope for lonely people. Our church runs the Alpha Course and it is well attended each time we run it, offering friendship and good food as well as helpful videos. Find out more about our next course (starting January 17th 2021) by emailing me at throughthestorms750@gmail.com.

Above all, you may be lonely, but you are not alone. Jesus is the friend who sticks closer than a brother. Hear the words again of Hebrews 13:5 from the Amplified version of the Bible: ‘for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not!’. 

Fake News or the Father of Lies?

 

So it seems like a vaccine is coming! It may only be like the lights on an oncoming train approaching the station, but at least it is on the way. There are many hurdles to be overcome before it can be made available in our communities, but there is a real possibility now that it might be offered later this year or early next. But - many questions arise - is it safe and effective? How long will any protection it might give last?

I hope that when it is proven to be successful, safe and effective, that the vaccine will not be grabbed by rich countries and horded away from the millions in the developing world who will need it as much as we do or even more. The need is worldwide so the spread of the vaccine should be global too.

But there is a fear surrounding this vaccine that is not healthy nor helpful. There is an element of 'fake news' surrounding some of the conspiracy theories that are frightening a lot of people, Christians among them. We do need to be cautious of putting too much emphasis on one possible 'breakthrough' when the virus could mutate at any time - BUT vaccination is a gift from God. I repeat - a gift from God! The achievements of vaccination over the last century have been stupendous. Hundreds of millions are alive today who would not have been if it had not been for vaccinations. TB, smallpox, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, polio etc were all killers, and have been beaten or controlled by the 'vax' brigade. Science and technology are moving on apace, and whereas it may have taken a decade to develop a vaccine years ago that is no longer the case.

I am praying for the vaccine development teams daily. I have found out the names of some of the leading scientists on these teams and I pray for them to stay well, be encouraged and be blessed in their work.

Please don't listen to the lies surrounding the vaccination process. Remember that Jesus said that Satan is a liar and the father of lies, and there are loads of lies being promulgated on social media around this issue. I know we all have to make our own decision on this one, but I will definitely be in the queue.

Don't let fear make the decisions round here! Follow your peace instead and choose to trust our loving heavenly Father to bring this dreadful pandemic to an end.

Sailing into a Whirlpool!

 Some years ago I visited Niagara Falls in Canada and decided to do the typical tourist thing of taking a trip on the boat that travels beneath the mighty cataracts. The Maid of the Mist takes its expectant travellers right through the water screen. Those boarding this thrill-seeker's ride through the torrents are issued with cover-all plastic coats, which most just ignored as they seemed to be irrelevant on a hot and humid July day. Within minutes we were to discover how much we needed them!

The boat was pushed around by the thunderous downpour like a tiny toy being tossed into a washing machine. We felt helpless and exhilarated all at the same moment, and soaked to the skin. In those days of fairly pathetic cameras and even more derisory photo skills, I got very few shots of the experience, but I never forgot the sensation of being adrift in a maelstrom of raging storm-water.

In some ways it feels like that again just now. The UK is in various forms of lockdown brought about by a raging pandemic. The government changes its mind and its policies by the day, and seems to be on the run rather than running anything. Across the big pond, the mighty USA is divided almost completely in half, and there are very real fears of civil unrest in the wake of this disputed election. At the same time, Covid-19 is running riot across most of the Western world, from America to Europe and beyond. News is coming in of a fearful  mutation of the virus via minks in Denmark and the US which may herald a threat to any vaccine and a further surge of infections. We are swirling in a sink-hole of international problems!

BUT - and it's a big but - that impression was false on board the Maid of the Mist, and it is also mistaken today. There was a captain on the bridge of that frail vessel, and he knew where he was heading. He also knew the capabilities of that tourist boat, and when to hold back. At every stage his hand was upon the tiller, his eye upon the flood.

Read these words from the Lord and be comforted today. They come from the Amplified Version of the Bible, Hebrews 13:5. "He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not!" 

If today you make Jesus captain of your destiny, and lord of your life, this present storm may not seem any less threatening or confusing, but the sense of peace and purpose he will give you will make a big difference.

Make Music with the Strings you have Left

 

Yitzhak Perlman was a great violinist who had suffered from polio as a child and walked with crutches and braces on both legs. During a 1995 concert a string on Perlman's violin suddenly snapped, and everyone in the audience could hear it. The great virtuoso stopped and gazed at the broken string as those in attendance that night wondered what he would do. Perlman closed his eyes, and after a moment of reflection, signalled the conductor to begin again. 

It must be impossible to play a great symphony with just three strings but Perlman was undaunted. He seemed to be re-composing the piece in his head as he went along, inventing new fingering positions to coax amazing sounds from his three string violin.

The audience watched and listened in awe, knowing they were witnessing a truly groundbreaking performance. When the piece was over they exploded into appreciative applause. Mr Perlman smiled, wiped the sweat from his brow, and said "you know, sometimes it is the artist's task to find out how much music you can still make with what you have left."🕀

This is a time of great frustration and disappointment for millions, piled upon anger and grief caused by this dreadful pandemic. We are all curtailed in some way. Though here in our island home we are free of restrictions on our lifestyles and worship, the borders are closed and we feel keenly the sorrow of isolation from loved ones. 'Rock fever' is very real for some.

But - it is what it is. Restrictions are necessary in order to save lives. The instrument of our society is broken, so what kind of music will we make? Perlman's example reminds me of the book of Psalms, where although the writers were passing through deep trials and sorrows, they sang about their pain, and they sang about their God. Here, for instance, is one short song from Psalm 13:

How long, Lord? Will you forget me for ever?

    How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

    How long will my enemy triumph over me?

But I trust in your unfailing love;

    my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing the Lord’s praise,

    for he has been good to me.

In our disappointment and grief today, let's decide to make music with the strings we have left, not to obsess about the ones that are denied us in this season.

May God help and strengthen us all in this crisis. 

🕀 Taken from Joni Eareckson Tada, A Place of Healing (David C Cook, Colorado Springs, 2010) 102

Stuck in But not Stuck!

 

The police were at our door again this week. I say 'again' because they came a few weeks ago when I was in self-isolation before. Now, they parked their car ostentatiously outside our little home and one of the officers approached the door checking his clipboard. The neighbours must have thought they had been called to a 'domestic', or that perhaps there had been a break-in while we were away, but no, this was just a 'welfare check' during our compulsory self-isolation. Our only crime was to leave the island and return again, having visited a place soaked in viral degradation - JERSEY!

The fines levied on those who have broken self-isolation recently have been eye-watering - thousands of pounds per offence.  We are thankful to our neighbours and the wonderful fellowship at Vazon Church for the meeting of all our needs so that we have been able to stay locked away, but are really looking forward to being free in a few days if our test is negative.

Guernsey has taken the pandemic very seriously, as our police visit shows, and have, so far, been successful in keeping levels of infection very low (just one person at present). There is a price to pay though. Apart from the period of house arrest that returning travellers or visitors must endure, there is the sense of being cut off from the rest of the world. Families are forced to remain apart. We long for that freedom to return, though we accept that sacrifices must be made in the short term.

Thankfully, the word of God is not bound and prayer knows no borders. We can link up with folk in every nation to seek God's blessing and peace for them where they are. Dear friends battling Covid 19 infections in the UK, churches forced to close their buildings and shut down singing and much of their youth and children's work, pastors and their families facing destitution and even prison in countries where their faith puts them at the back of the queue for assistance. No, we may be stuck in but we are most certainly not stuck. There is a vital work to do, no matter how restricted our circumstances.

And how about you? If chronic illness or pain are keeping you away from others, or infection or the fear of infection limiting your ability to socialise, let this be a season of waiting on God. We will meet again, as Her Majesty famously said, but till then, remember the words of the hymn-writer Oswald Allen (1816-1878):

'When all things seem against us,

To drive us to despair,

We know one gate is open,

One ear will hear our prayer'.

The Eyes Have It!

 

Early in my broadcasting career I learned an interesting fact. Radio listeners can hear you smile! I try to remember that whenever I am on air today. Does the same hold true for face-masks? I wonder. Some folk say that you can still see someone is smiling in their eyes. In this photo that seems to be the case, but is it always so? I think that the widespread muzzling of populations, whilst a necessary precaution against the spread of infection, robs us of one very important feature of healthy life. The ability to give and receive smiles.

My wife has a friend in Wales, Sheila by name, and when we lived there they used to go out walking together. Sheila would often squeeze Diane's arm as strangers approached and say 'let's see if we can get one back!'. With that, they would both smile at the passer by and very often were met with indifference, but sometimes got rewarded in return! It's not just a virus that can be infectious - so can a kindly smile!

Despite there being drastic differences between human cultures and the way we express ourselves, psychologists have discovered that facial expressions have a degree of universality that transcends time and place. There are thousands of ways of moving the muscles in our faces to express and reinforce one of the six basic emotions: anger, disgust, enjoyment, fear, sadness, and surprise. 

And the most powerful and profound facial expression of them all? The smile.

Smiling is universally considered to be a way we display joy. It can communicate our internal world to people on the outside, and it can be a welcoming sign to new people. It speaks of security and well-being, and disarms the stranger with a hint of approach-ability and welcome.

So, if the face-mask is hiding this basic tool of communication and warmth, even in part, how can we replace or supplement it? Well, I suppose one way would be to look for opportunities to do random acts of kindness. To serve in humble ways, and in honour preferring others. Our social media posts should reflect our smile, not our scowl. Our words should be well-chosen to sift out negativity, gossip and grumbling. I read this in the newsletter of some missionary friends this week:

"I choose to turn from complaint, from seeing all that is wrong and lacking, and to acknowledge - even more, Oh Spirit of God, to celebrate - how you are at work in our work, in our church, in our lives (taken from Teach us to Pray by Gordon Smith)".

For God's sake - smile more please! And for your own sake too. It can make all the difference.

House Arrest

 I am under house arrest. Following my short trip to Newcastle in the North East of England I am now enduring at least 7 days of self-isolation, plus however long it takes for my Covid-19 test result to come back. Thankfully, if the result is negative, I will be released next week, but in a few days the NE of England will be reclassified as high risk due to an upsurge in cases, and I would be required to isolate for the full 14 days if I had traveled then.

I can pace around the garden but must not leave the premises. Yesterday the door bell rang. I opened the upstairs window and called out 'hello?' only to find a burly police officer standing outside. 'Just a welfare check' he claimed. 'Tell it to the marines' I thought, remembering the half a dozen folk who have been fined up to £10,000 for being caught outside their homes in the last few weeks.

In many ways, of course, those of us who have known chronic illness over the years, have been here before. 'Welcome to my world!' you might say. Long-term illness and pain isolates you. It cuts you off from human comfort and touch. Robs you of the joys of fellowship and the ability to go out and enjoy the outside world. And it's hard.

This isolation, without the right to an hour's exercise and no ability to go and buy goods at all, reawakens my sympathy for those who have been shielding during this pandemic. But it also clarifies for me the immense frustration that the Apostle Paul must have felt during his two year house arrest in Rome. Not only could he not go out for exercise, or attend church at all, he may well have been chained to a Roman soldier for much of the time as well!

Yet it is possible, even likely, that he wrote his famous letter to the Philippians during this period. It is an epistle marked by joy. The word recurs again and again. He prays with joy (1:4), rejoices that his chains have given him opportunities to share his faith (1:18), and chooses rejoicing in God instead of grumbling and complaining (2:17-18). He expresses joy at the gifts people were placing outside his door (4:10-14), and he not only expresses his own joy in God, but he urges folk who know Christ to 'rejoice always and again I say, rejoice!' (4:4).

So, I am going to try and treat this period of compulsory self-isolation in a more positive way. If you are shielding, or know someone who is, thank God for modern technology that keeps us in contact with others, and use it to be encouraged and to cheer others on. But, if you, like me, are tasting the long weary challenging days of house arrest, then I can do no better than recommend the letter Paul wrote from his Roman first century AirBnB.

After all, 'I can do all this through him who gives me strength' (Phil. 4:13).

Just Breathe

 I once forgot how to breathe. I had been given a much stronger dose of an opiate painkiller in a skin patch format - Fentanyl - many times stronger than conventional morphine. As in the cases where people overdose on this drug, either intentionally or otherwise, the patch suppressed my breathing mechanism. I very nearly died that day. A friend who was a nurse coached me how to breathe until the ambulance arrived, but the simplest and probably most reflex action of my life, breathing, had become a stranger to me. I will never forget the relief of being able to breathe again.

Covid-19 is a respiratory disease. It also attacks the immune system and other aspects of the body's defences, but it is as a lung disease that it has become notoriously efficient. This makes it terrifying to watch sufferers struggling for breath, and survivors left often unable to catch enough breath to speak. A colleague of mine, who survived a potentially deadly attack of the virus and a spell on a ventilator, was advised to do breathing exercises as part of his recovery. He said that the medics also advised him that good breathing etiquette was one way of preparing to be able to face the onslaught of the disease. Whether that is right or not, we don't use much of our lung capacity most of the time. It is good to stand up straight, exhale fully and then inhale to a fuller extent than we normally do.

We need to breathe spiritually too. The Holy Spirit is pictured as God's breath or as a gust of wind, to help us to realise how much we need his presence and power in our lives. In the original picture of God's creating power he is said to have breathed into the nostrils of the first human being and he became a living being. Some believe this is the moment when mankind received its soul or spiritual nature. Whatever, we are spiritual beings and we need God like we need to breathe.

I would never have imagined that I might forget how to breathe. Illness put me into that vulnerable place and I barely escaped with my life. There may be many reasons why we might forget how to have a spiritual life - illness can be one - but there's no time like the present to put that right.

Years ago we used to sing 'Breathe on me breath of God, fill me with life anew'. That still makes sense as a prayer today, especially in the time of a breathing pandemic.

Is there any Choice?

 

So begins election season. Here in Guernsey we will hold a general election on October 7th and in the USA there will be a presidential poll in November. We get to choose those who will rule over us, or so the theory goes. In our island we will each have 38 votes - the size of the Assembly - and with well over 100 candidates expected to stand, the ballot paper will probably look like wall-paper! In America the choice will be between two elderly white men. One seems to offer very poor personal credentials but a canny knack of making and losing money, while the other seems well-meaning but lightweight. Probably his biggest claim to fame is that he is not his opponent! Ah well, such is democracy (or what is left of it).

Sorry if that sounds a bit cynical, but to my mind, in the midst of a global pandemic and worst recession on record,  elections seem a bit of an interruption. Yet, they are important simply because of that one over-riding feature - we are called to exercise choice. 'Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve' says Joshua, the ancient leader of Israel and fighter of the famous battle of Jericho. And choice is a recurring Biblical theme. Moses challenged God's people to choose life and blessing instead of death and destruction (Deut 30:19) and Jesus challenged his followers to choose to do God's will (John 7:17).

Last week I chose gratitude instead of regret on the occasion of my 68th birthday (see my blog for Sat 22nd Aug 2020). In a few weeks I will choose 38 Deputies to sit in the States of Deliberation. A few weeks later millions of Americans will choose between Tweedledum and Tweedledee (naughty I know!!). 

BUT - the whole point is that we have the freedom to choose. And that's how it is in our walk with God. Choose life - choose Jesus - choose grace! Just as in our elections we make our choice by means of a cross, God has made His choice of Jesus clear in just that way too. At the cross God voted for Jesus as the way to life, hope and eternity. Now that's not irrelevant - that's vital. Cast your vote today.

Choosing Gratitude

 

Today - I am grateful. Thankful that I am still alive and with my wonderful wife, Diane. Really thrilled to be free from pain and recovered from 22 years of the most appalling agony of chronic pancreatitis. On this my birthday I give thanks to God for his amazing grace, love and his faithfulness to me over 68 years. 

In the midst of a global pandemic I am rejoicing that God is still in charge, and that the virtues of self-sacrifice, love for one's fellow people, and care for the sick and dying, that Jesus so exemplified in his life, are still being shown around us. I see immense pain and suffering on every hand, but I also see the compassion of Christ writ large.

I choose gratitude. It is not always easy. Jesus taught us that gratitude should be our attitude in what we call 'The Beatitudes'. Light chases away darkness. Hope dispels gloom. Love expels fear.

I don't blame the government, or my upbringing, or the shady hand of 'lady luck', for anything that has happened in my life, or is going on in the world around me. There is an intruder in God's good creation. The pandemic and my decades of agony, are his fingerprints. But there are other marks I choose to concentrate upon. Nail prints for instance. The scars from a crown of thorns. A discarded stone and an empty tomb.

So, the best gift I can receive today is the one that sets me free. Free from bitterness and self-pity. Free to be me! Free to say 'Thank you Lord!' and mean it. I choose to be grateful.

Pandemic Milestones: centuries apart!

 Making memories. We do it every day, mostly without realising it. This weekend a friend of mine will celebrate her 103rd birthday! Happy birthday Myra! Her long life must be so crammed with memories. Born towards the end of the First World War, the second last child of ten, Myra must have entered a world of challenges. None would be greater, probably, than the pandemic of 1918-1919. Over 500 million people were infected at that time and it is estimated that 20-50 million died, including 115 in Guernsey, the island of Myra's birth. That puts the 2020 pandemic into proportion, although we mourn the passing of so many from Covid-19, (up to 16 of them were in Guernsey, though now Covid free).

So much has changed in Myra's world. Horse and buggy has given way to supersonic airliners, and man has even stepped onto the moon. Communications in 1917/18 would have been largely word of mouth, or through very early forms of telephone and telegrams. No computers, no mobiles, no television. The BBC didn't exist then and would not for a few years. But life and death were the same at that time, and the world must have been gripped with fear and mourning, much as it is now.

This same weekend that Myra is 103, Primrose will be dedicated in a simple family ceremony at our church. Born into a repeat pandemic, I wonder how much the world will change in her lifetime? We will be praying God's blessing on her little life and thanking God for the gift of her. But, as her family begins to make new memories with their little one, it is so important to make room for God's love and guidance, just as Myra has done.

Making memories comes from making choices - good choices - even in the midst of pandemics and pain. Parents bringing their infant to be blessed and seeking God's help for their family and her future. That's a good choice. For Myra, I know that the choice she made to follow Jesus when she was a young woman, has kept her faithful in service of others and the Lord throughout her days. What an example!

Footprints in the Sand

'Footprints in the sand' is a well-known and often quoted piece of prose about a man who dreamed about the various scenes in his life portrayed alongside a set of sand footprints. He was perplexed when he noticed that during his toughest seasons there was only one set of prints visible. He then felt that God spoke to him and reassured him that it was at those times he had been carrying him, causing only one set of marks.

I know that the story of footprints has become hackneyed and is over-used, almost trite, but when I took the shot above in Alderney this week, it came back to me in a very strong way. I was walking on Braye Beach in the morning at low tide, and just chatting with the Lord as I often do. My path in life has been tough at times, and as I saw these prints I felt again the nudge of God's Spirit reassuring me that he has always been there, even when I had felt him most absent.

The fresh beauty of that isolated beach with a strong, sea breeze at my back, and the sand sticking to my sandals like snow, reminded me that God does not promise that our path will always be easy, or that we will not be in pain, sometimes severe pain, but the assurance in my heart that day was that in all these situations, he knows, he loves and he cares.

If you are in one of those seasons where you feel that you are trudging alone through hard unyielding circumstances, know that there is one who cares for you too, and if you will invite him, waits to make his path your way also.  

Into shops dressed like bank-robbers

The coming of face coverings for all who enter shops in England (and Scotland I think) is a really sad day. I know that those communities in Asia who have managed their Corona virus battle (so far) much better than the UK and the USA usually have worn masks since the start. I also accept that the wearing of a mask may help to prevent the spread of the disease by those with symptoms and without. But this is just one more step in robbing our communities of vital facial contact at a time when we need more of one another rather than less.

As someone who suffers from poor hearing I am amazed to discover just how much lip-reading I have been doing too. When a presenter on TV is speaking straight to camera wearing a face covering, I usually have to hit the subtitles button. Hearing people speaking in a crowded place when they are dressed like bank robbers is going to be doubly difficult.

Thankfully, here in Guernsey, the virus has been eliminated, and while the borders remain closed, as they are except for quarantine, we are not having to make any allowances for the virus, no masks, no social distancing, no ban on hugs or singing. We are very grateful for these privileges and do not take them for granted, but my heart goes out to those who have to forgo their own freedom in order to curtail this devilish virus.

Of course I support following public health advice where you are. But I feel that this is one more sign, if any more were needed, that Covid-19 is of satanic origin. The Bible character of the devil is often mocked and ridiculed, but Jesus called him a liar and a thief. In stealing our smiles, and depriving us of mutual touch and hugs, preventing gatherings from singing or chanting, it seems to me that the fingerprints of God's enemy are all over this.

Yet, if this is one more thing that it takes to defeat this hideous abomination in our lands, then reach for your masks. But, join me in prayer that soon a vaccine will be found, and the world can relax its bans, bandannas and barriers and let the human family party again!

Through the Valley of Grief and Pain

This week a good friend of mine died. The loss is so deep, especially when you think of the faces of his little daughters and much-loved partner. I have known the depths of physical pain in my time, but the agony of grief is right up there with the worst. Malcolm Duncan, in his book Good Grief; Living with Sorrow and Loss, tells of his own devastation following the death of his father. He literally collapsed onto the ramp of a ferry between Belfast and England when returning from the funeral. Yet, his book is one of hope, comfort and encouragement in the midst of loss.

Walking through the valley of pain and grief can be a devastating experience. Through my own story, both as a sufferer of chronic pain but also as a pastor and counsellor, I have been in that valley too often. I recommend Malcolm's book, but also his faith. It carried him through and trusting in God's promises to be with us in this particular valley has really helped me also.

Psalm 23 says; 'Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me' (ESV). Notice the word 'through' - this valley is not a stopping place. Grief is a journey and it is one that we don't have to make alone. The risen Lord Jesus is with us in that valley and beyond. He has overcome death and offers everlasting life to all who trust in him. And he sent his followers the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus described as a comforter (or possibly counsellor). Maybe these are the 'rod and staff' referred to by the writer of the famous Psalm.

You don't have to walk through your own valley alone either. He's only a prayer away, and sometimes the very darkness of grief and loss serves to help us be aware of our own need. King David could say 'The Lord is my shepherd' because he had chosen to come under his care. That choice is still ours to make today.

From victim to victor - a thin line!

Spikes in Leicester and lockdown in Melbourne, record high numbers of cases in the USA - this virus has not gone away! Data from the World Health Organisation show that far from being over, Covid-19 is raging worldwide at a new high level, and is surging in parts of the globe where emergency lockdown procedures had begun to be released. Here is Guernsey we only remain Covid free due to tightly restricted borders. Elsewhere in Britain numbers of infections and deaths are on the decline, but it remains to be seen how that will continue once a degree of 'normality' returns. Tough times for us all.

This storm is still raging. Like the storm that nearly drowned St Paul in Acts 27, there are moments when we almost feel overwhelmed. If you get a chance to read that exciting story some time in a modern version like The Message, or the New Living Translation, you will catch the awesome horror of a 14-day mega-storm that threatened to destroy Paul and nearly 300 others, adrift in the open sea. 

A couple of things strike me from that story that help me today. One is that although Paul was a prisoner in that ship, he was not a victim. He remained in touch with God through prayer and received specific guidance as to how to conduct himself through the crisis. Victim-hood leads to bitterness, self-pity, regret and fear and these are the enemies of victory. Then other is that Paul was adrift in the storm, but never abandoned. Hard as it was to face imminent death and destruction, the apostle knew that God was with him. In fact, he described himself to fellow strugglers with the storm as 'whose I am and whom I serve' (meaning God's). He never lost sight of his true calling or of God's nearness even in the dreadful circumstances he faced.

As this virus stalks the earth like a plague of Biblical proportions, let's choose victory over victim-hood, and trust God for the outcome. Paul didn't know he had an appointment in Malta on his way to Rome, and that his shipwreck was going to turn out to be the traumatic birthing of a new ministry. But God did.

'I was in constant agony'

 My story was featured in this month's edition of Christianity magazine in the UK. It is about my most recent book, 'Through the Storms: a manual for when life hurts' and takes a look back at the 22 years long odyssey of pain and hospitalisation that lies behind it. The magazine also says a lot about the recent anti-racism rallies around the globe, and I found its approach to be refreshing and well-balanced, even though I'm sure some will disagree.

I hope, though, that in telling my story I am doing more than simply marketing a book. At least four people told me last weekend that they are reading Through the Storms and finding it both challenging and helpful. Above all, I want it to bring glory to God and show people his amazing love. Faith is not always a procession of glorious successes. It is often written in what Winston Churchill called 'blood, toil, tears and sweat'. If you feel that your own faith is failing you in this current pandemic crisis, then can I encourage you to get hold of books like mine, and magazines like Christianity, which may help you to just get through. You only get a testimony when you have been through a test, and maybe one day your own story will be a help or encouragement to someone else.

You can also hear a recording of the full interview with the editor of Christianity magazine, Sam Hailes, on Saturday 11th July on Premier Christian Radio, the Profile at 8pm or download the Profile podcast from https://www.premierchristianradio.com/Podcasts .

Isolation Agonies!

I have a friend in quarantine. He has about a week to go of his 14 day sentence. It's hard going. Meals put down outside his door. No mixing with hotel staff or anyone else at all. Twenty minutes exercise per day - less than many prison regimes. And his crime? Arriving in Guernsey from the UK to work in our local hospital. Our borders are firmly closed. Anyone arriving in this little group of islands has to isolate for two weeks, or face a fine of up to £10,000. One man was recently fined £6,000 for his first offence!

My experience of chronic pain is that it isolates the sufferer. You can't go out socialising because you simply don't feel up to it. Even within families and homes you can't take the noise and hassle of chatter and being with others. Sadness is compounded by loneliness as you ask yourself 'Will I ever feel different?'.

Yes, you will. You are not shut up for ever. Try to look beyond the confines of your situation. Even lying in bed you could FaceTime or Skype someone you love. Above all, keep your mind on the fact that you are never truly alone. Jesus said "I will never leave you, I will never forsake you".

For some of the lessons that I have learned in my many periods of real isolation caused by pain and recurring acute pancreatitis, get hold of my book 'Through the Storms: a manual for when life hurts'. And/or, get in touch with me at throughthestorms750@gmail.com as I would be pleased to hear from you.

My friend will emerge from behind his cage next week. I will be pleased to see him, and I hope he will be even better equipped to understand how people in chronic pain feel. But if you are feeling isolated today, I hope you will reach out by some means to get help to just get through. Better days are ahead!

Bailiwick Bubble

This is the first day of freedom from all Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in the bailiwick of Guernsey. (Saturday 20th June 2020). The island group of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm, plus a few smaller islands, has eliminated the virus with no new cases for 50 days now, and so there is no more need for social distancing, special measures or limits on numbers of people gathering. Tonight there will be a 'gig' in a local music venue and tomorrow the islands' churches will fling open their doors to all-comers!

Wow, what a moment for our small communities! It is being officially called our 'bailiwick bubble' because we can all function normally as we did before the pandemic with one exception. If we travel further than these islands, or if someone arrives here, they must strictly self-isolate for 14 days, checked by police and subject to a £10,000 fine if breached. So, in some ways, this is an artificial 'normal' not really the new normal. But it is a great start and we are grateful for the actions of our government and the expertise of its public health team led by Dr Nicola Brink. Leadership plus community action have led to this success, but those of us who pray for them are grateful to God too for this outcome.

Of course, 'fortress Guernsey' can only go on for a limited time. One day the borders will reopen, although the island's leaders are talking about 'when a vaccine comes' or when neighbouring jurisdictions get their virus under real control. Until then we can enjoy our new freedom and welcome the chance to live life as we can whist experiencing a kind of bigger 'isolation'.

This reminds me of the importance of being together with others. I am longing to see the faces of our faith community at Vazon Elim Church in the morning. We will continue to Livestream our services and value our online congregation highly. We know we have folk sharing with us from the UK, Belgium, Spain, Canada and even South Africa! In that sense we are not cut off, but being able to meet together in person as Christians, to love and even hug those who are not too scared to do so, is an absolute dream. Hope you can join us at 10.45am, in the flesh or online - come and celebrate! You will be so welcome to our bailiwick bubble!

Feet of Clay or Heart of Stone?

Statues are falling everywhere. From Baghdad to Bournemouth and from London to LA, no memorial, it seems, is safe. Winston Churchill's in Parliament Square is boxed up in metal for protection. Baden Powell's in Dorset was being guarded by old men in Boy Scout uniforms and is also now boxed. No matter how much good or commendable stuff the person being remembered may have done, down they come, or else they are being redecorated with all manner of ordure!

I have real sympathy with the grass-roots of this anti racist movement, though I fear the statue protests may be ineffective. We were all horrified by the murder of George Floyd and by the statistics of racism in both US and UK. But, whilst it is the case that the pulling down of the statue of Sadam Hussein in Baghdad may have given some relief to those pounding it with their sandals, it failed to eradicate corruption and violence in Iraq. Only substantial heart change could do that.

I also recall the response of Jesus to a baying mob. They wanted an adulterous woman to be stoned for her appalling sins. Jesus said 'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone'. One by one the crowd dispersed, until Jesus was left with a woman whose life would never be the same again. If human perfection and purity is to be the standard by which the people pulling down statues have to qualify for being there, I think their ropes would lie limp. 

I remember another statue too. It is written about in Daniel chapter 2 and featured in a dream to King Nebuchadnezzar. In his night vision he saw a huge human image made from different materials, gold, silver, bronze and iron, each representing dynasties to come. The thing that strikes me is that the idol had feet and toes of clay (this is where we get our proverb from about leaders who have 'feet of clay'). 

And that's the point isn't it? These great men (and sadly it is usually men) all had feet of clay. They were human beings like you and me, and they were sinners, products of the age in which they lived. It is as foolish to make images of them and stick them on pedestals as it is to gather in screaming mobs to tear them down. Nothing great is achieved by either action, though it may give temporary pleasure or relief.

I suggest we look away from people of stone and bronze and focus on ourselves, flesh and blood that we are. Only God can change our hearts. Racism is a dreadful poison that afflicts our society, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. I need to repent, and ask God for his power to eradicate the idols I have erected in my heart. Only then can I begin to address the ills of a society which, given the centuries it has had the truth of the gospel, seems to be intent on ignoring it. 

In Daniel's day the heathen king was shaken by the dream and its interpretation and confessed that Daniel's God was Lord of lords and King of kings. Heart change needs that revelation. Let's tear down the idols in our hearts today.

A Deadly Challenge

Overcoming impossible odds is nothing new. Facing huge challenges that are shaking nations and costing thousands of lives is not novel, though the Corona virus may be. Human history is marked by this kind of crisis and thus far there are reasons why it has always been overcome.

Today, the 6th June, marks the 76th anniversary of the Normandy landings - D-day. Hundreds of thousands of Allied troops hurled themselves against the might of the German army in Hitler's Atlantic Wall. The casualty rate was high, though not as high as that faced by the Allies today in their battle against Covid-19, at least not in the Normandy campaign (one estimate puts it at nearly 37,000 dead amongst the ground forces and a further 16,714 deaths amongst the Allied air forces). The UK has over 40,000 deaths from the virus in the last 3 months alone and the US many more. But, the opposition to the D-day landings was dreadful and seemed impregnable, yet today the remnants of that resistance can be seen broken and rusting in the French (and Guernsey) countryside.

Victory comes at tremendous cost. Yet there are some things that are always needed to secure it. A wartime spirit of unity and self-sacrifice, for instance. An acceptance that my comfort and well-being are not all that matters. A desire for the greater good for all and a willingness to serve rather than to be served. All these were present in Normandy this day 76 years ago and are needed now. But probably the greatest need in our day is for leadership that inspires and perseveres with a clear goal in mind. Winston Churchill was once asked what his plans were. He replied 'Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival'.

Victory came in 1945, a year later. It was at great cost. But we must hold onto the hope and ideal of victory at this time too. Pray for a vaccine to be found. Praise God for every lowering of infection rates, but pray on for complete elimination of the virus. Lift up governments and public health leaders in intercession and prayer. And be prepared for this to take time. D-day led onto a year of fierce combat before VE-day.

The death of Christ at Calvary and his glorious resurrection assures us that the war is won, but the fulfillment of its great victory remains ahead.

Double Standards or Simple Privilege?

The UK government has had a bad week. Losing ground in the polls is one thing, but weakening their grasp on the public health message is something altogether more dangerous. It could cost lives. And in case your isolation has meant that you have not been aware of the row at the centre of all this - the right hand advisor to the British Prime Minister, one Dominic Cummings, has been heavily criticised after allegations that he allegedly broke lockdown rules early in the pandemic - rules that he had helped to draw up. Some polls have shown a majority of people in favour of his removal from his post or resignation, but there are still a large number who wish the whole story would just go away. Among them is Boris Johnson, who seems indifferent to criticism on this matter and is renowned for standing by his officers when they err (perhaps due to his own experiences of being fired and shamed following mistakes in the past).

In my opinion, though, what we are seeing here is the typical British expression of the worldwide phenomenon known as 'privilege' - a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group. It is not unique to the UK though it often expresses itself in very different and sometimes extreme ways, like the Indian caste system, or the American worship of riches and success in business. It causes untold harm wherever it becomes the norm, and can lead to situations where people lose respect for their leaders and confidence in their ability to guide and direct others.

Privilege also leads to a drawbridge mentality where members of a particular social class or grouping become extra protective of one another and closed to the needs of those outside the group. In the case of the UK government as a whole I am sure that is not so, but that impression could be gained from what has been going on. Hopefully, lessons will be learnt, and the media agenda will move on, but possibly not before significant harm may be done to the government's public health agenda.

As a Christian I don't like the concept of privilege. Unfairness adds a load of  discouragement to the burden of lockdown and isolation. The potential for discrimination and superiority is real, and the danger for looking down our noses at others is anathema to the Jesus we follow and serve. He saw the needs of the dispossessed and marginalised, calling them to Himself. He touched the lepers and elevated them to social acceptance. He challenged the privileged attitude of the Jewish leaders, urging them to take care, in case their actions put burdens onto people's backs that they were unable to bear.

In short, He created a new world order where those who are called to rule are firstly those who learn to humble themselves and serve.

This is Mental Health Awareness week (declared by the World Health Organisation) and this year they have chosen the theme 'kindness'. They did so long before the lockdown, but they have really hit the nail on the head. Being kind to one another is a fundamental part of our humanity. When asked why they had chosen this theme, Mark Rowland the Chief Executive of the UK's Mental Health Foundation said 'We have chosen kindness because of its singular ability to unlock our shared humanity. Kindness strengthens relationships, develops community and deepens solidarity. It is a cornerstone of our individual and collective mental health. Wisdom from every culture across history recognises that kindness is something that all human beings need to experience and practise to be fully alive'.

Random acts of kindness can transform the drab, humdrum experience of lockdown. Those who are shielding because of some illness, or due to age, are being helped by strangers who have offered themselves by the hundreds of thousands to get involved. Food-banks are operating, often without PPE, in order to make gifts to those who are struggling economically during these tough times. Churches are organising donations of 'goody bags' for NHS staff in hospitals and care home staff.

Kindness is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22, along with virtues like love, joy and peace. So, being kind and mental well-being are closely linked. We need the courage to reach out in kindness towards people we may not even know. We discovered in Zimbabwe that when we could not yet even speak the local language, there is a language of love and kindness that breaks all barriers down.

And we need to be kind to ourselves too. I talk about this in my book Through the Storms; a manual for when life hurts. In the chapter 'How Much am I Worth?' I share how hard we can be on ourselves because we don't feel worthy of the love and service from others, especially in chronic conditions. May we learn that God is kind, and God is love, and that He longs for us to be kind also - and charity begins at home! Go easy on yourself in this lockdown, and receive the grace of God in its fulness.

Can God point to us as examples of His kindness? He should be able to. Ephesians 2:7 (Living Bible) says: 'And now God can always point to us as examples of how very, very rich his kindness is, as shown in all he has done for us through Jesus Christ'. So, in this mental health awareness week, let's choose to be kind to ourselves and to one another as an expression of our humanity, and our faith in Christ.

Pulling out too Quickly? How does the road ahead look?

The speed of emerging out of lockdown is a major issue in Britain now. In our island of Guernsey the goal of our leaders has changed. Whereas it was 'flatten the curve' a few weeks ago, it is now 'eliminate the virus'. After 15 days without a new case or infection of Covid-19 being reported, the local Chief Minister and his team seem confident that elimination can be achieved. That will only last, of course, until the borders are opened and flights and ferries return to service, but it does mean that lockdown can be undone with a little more pace than was planned.

But over in the UK there is widespread concern and disagreement about the pace at which the lockdown measures can be released. Clearly there is a balance to be struck and no step taken to undo the restrictions will be risk free - not even here in our lovely island. Yet the story from elsewhere around the world, even in Wuhan itself, gives grounds for hope.

What I do feel that God is saying to me in all this is that we all need to patient and accept the slowness of the process without fear or recriminations. Political leaders have a tough balancing act to perform. In one sense, they can't win, due to pressure both to protect lives and restart the economy. We should pray for those in authority over us that God will give them wisdom beyond themselves and courage to lead well.

Slowing down is a personal challenge, though. It means letting go of that fretting and fear that so easily causes panic and prevents us resting, praying and laughing too. It is a process of recognising who is control - not me, nor the politicians, not the virus and definitely not the devil!

This morning I was reading in Revelation 19 the vision of Jesus riding a white horse in final victory at the end of time. 'On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords'. Let Jesus be lord and choose to slow down and rest in him. Each day, we can find peace and rest for our souls when we choose faith and not fear, trust and not terror.

In Matthew 11:28-30 in The Message, Jesus says: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Free at Last!

Whilst we celebrated with all of the UK and around Europe for VE Day yesterday, it is today, May the 9th, that is our national day in Guernsey - our Liberation Day! I was surprised that in all the coverage of yesterday's celebrations in the media, no mention was made that these British islands endured five long years of occupation by the Germans.

The final few months of the Nazi presence in Guernsey were the worst, especially after D-Day. According to one eye-witness, Mrs Irene Dunk, who was the wife of Rev Gilbert Dunk, minister of Eldad Elim Church in the island's capital St Peter Port, both the local population and the occupying forces were cut off from outside supplies in a siege situation and starving. Only the arrival of the Red Cross ship the Vega at New Year 1945, bringing food parcels from Canada and New Zealand for the local people, brought any degree of relief. In a small booklet published some years ago, Mrs Dunk, who went on to live until aged 100, tells of surviving for three weeks along with her husband and their small child, on a diet of parsnips alone before those vital supplies were received.

Finally, the Allied Force 135 arrived off St Peter Port on May 8^th, 1945, but even then, things were tense and frightening. The Commandant, a fervent Nazi named Admiral Huffmeier, had vowed that he would never surrender. There was a real possibility that the Allies might need to fight their way ashore against an opposed landing. When his deputy, a Leutnant Zimmerman, told the force to withdraw or else they would be fired upon, Brigadier Snow replied that if the Admiral fired upon them today, they would hang him tomorrow! Thankfully he was over-ruled by his subordinates and the next day British troops poured into St Peter Port to be mobbed by grateful islanders.

We should thank God for the freedom we enjoy today. When Gilbert Dunk stood cheering in the crowds at North Esplanade that first Liberation Day, a local preacher whom he knew grabbed his shoulder and yelled excitedly “this is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes!”. God had heard their anxious appeals for deliverance and had brought them through great trials to eventual liberty. Through all the long years of deprivation and loss there had remained that hope for freedom, and a heart cry of prayer for its fulfillment. Early in the Occupation an RAF plane had dropped leaflets over Guernsey containing a personal message from King George VIth promising “We will return...”, feeding the hope that would be finally fulfilled on the 9th May 1945.

Our present lockdown is hard, and the virus a deadly enemy. Let's take hope from the fact that the long and terrible ordeal of our parents did end, and ours will too. 'We'll meet again!'

Our home decked overall in flags

How Much Further?

Most parents of little children dread the phrases 'how much further?' and 'are we there yet?’ from long family car journeys. The kicking of the back of the front seats can drive you crazy! Young minds cannot yet fully grasp concepts like distance and timing and are easily bored. Thankfully, they are also easily distracted.

The media are in the grip of the same obsession. Speculation about how much longer the lockdown will continue is the publishing pandemic. It seems all the more significant because it resonates in most of our hearts. We all want to know when and how this will end.

When life’s troubles go on for a long time, like this lockdown, similar questions arise in our adult hearts too. ‘My soul is in deep anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?’ (Psalm 6:3). As we approach the 75th anniversary of Liberation from the Nazi occupation of our island, can you imagine how often our parents must have asked the same question during the five long years of restrictions, curfews, starvation and fear?

I asked that question too, many times during the 22 years of my battle with serious and chronic ill health. I longed for the trials to come to an end. There's nothing wrong or abnormal about that.

Early in my ordeal I felt that God gave me  the bible text 1 Peter 5:10 as a personal promise. ‘And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast’ (1 Peter 5:10). I held onto the ‘little while’ part of the verse like a drowning man clasping a piece of flotsam. But as the months, years and finally decades passed without an end to my problem, I started looking again at what the Bible means by the phrase. God’s ‘little while’ turns out to be quite unlike my own interpretation of those words. His timing is not my timing. It was used in scripture to represent lots of different time periods from 70 years to 3 days and nights! The important thing was that there was a time limit, set by God and known only to Him.

My own ‘little while’ appears to have ended now, although storms will not cease completely till we reach heaven. I praise Him for His sustaining grace in the trial and for bringing me out of it. As in Ecclesiastes ch3, ‘there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.’ Take courage from that assurance today. God has the timing in His hands, and He will bring you out of this season when its time is done. When Jesus calmed the wind and waves on the Galilee, the one that threatened to drown his disciples, He stilled the storm when He was finished with it, not when they were. His timing is always perfect and His sovereignty and power unlimited.

Not going out? The hidden cost.

I received an email from an old friend who just happens to be a retired consultant psychiatrist. He shared his concern about an impending 'avalanche of mental illness' following this period of lockdown. I share his concern and pray often for those who are closed in with issues of the mind that are being intensified and increased by this enforced isolation.

One factor of this is the absence of the grace of touch for many millions. I recognise that I am greatly blessed in this regard because I am at home with my loving wife, but for so many, it may be weeks since they touched anyone, or were touched in return. I learned the value of human touch in Intensive Care. I had been there for two or three weeks on that occasion, hooked up to the many machines that were keeping me alive. Every now and then a nurse would have to come and take my pulse the old way, holding my wrist gently between thumb and fingers. I relished those moments of simple kindness, physical contact with a fellow human being. Touch brings reassurance, the sharing of life, closeness, and science tells us, can even increase our store of the well-being hormone Serotonin.

If you have a pet, you will know how much they mean in this regard. If not, then the absence of being touched is just one of the pressures you are facing. Can I just point you to the One who reached out and touched so many while He was on Earth? Jesus was criticised for His willingness to embrace those who were untouchable in society, such as lepers and people of low moral reputation. Some years ago we used to sing; "When I feel the touch of Your hand upon my life, it causes me to sing a song, that I love You Lord". It may seem a bit sentimental but it is real to many millions of believers in Christ who are finding that He is there with them in their isolation at this time.

I am also grateful for the technology that can help us all keep in touch at this time. Our church is using Live-streaming via YouTube to broadcast hope-giving services each Sunday morning at 10.45am which can then be viewed later if you wish. Just search for Vazon Church on YouTube or go to the church website www.vazonelim.org.gg. We are also part of #stayconnect Guernsey which is making wifi and tablets available to those who are unable to keep in touch with loved ones, and if you know anyone who could benefit from a free loan or gift of such things, please contact me at throughthestorms750@gmail.com and we will try to help.

Shielding as a Means of Defence

I had been prepared for the letter. My GP had phoned to say she was sending it to me and that I should not be alarmed when I opened it. I was and I wasn't. Alarmed I mean, but I was sobered by it, and did become a bit alarmed in the night when I thought about it too deeply. But there were no surprises there. Based on my medical records I had been identified as someone at very high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and that I should be 'shielding'. There followed a long list of stringent advice and directions all designed for my safety, which was to be in place for 12 weeks from the receipt of the letter.

As you can imagine, this had led to a lot of conversations in our home, much thought and prayer. I am so grateful that Diane is with me, and my heart goes out to you if you are alone through this crisis. We know that we are not alone, and that God is with us, but it's so hard to be without that flesh and blood embrace that comforts when things get tough.

For the Christian, however, shielding is nothing new. Right back in the Genesis God spoke to the first man of faith, and told him; ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.’ He was going to need that protective shield a lot in the trials that lay ahead of him. In Psalm 3:3 'But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high'. And in Psalm 18:30 'he shields all who take refuge in him'.

Now that doesn't mean that those who trust in God will be immune to the problems of life. My experience has revealed the emptiness of that idea, but it does mean that we have a higher power who loves us and is watching out for us. We have someone to turn to in the night when we are afraid. There is one who loves us and waits up with us, listening to our every cry in distress.

In Ephesians 6 St Paul speaks about lifting up the shield of faith with which we will be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the evil one. And in this period of shielding I am going to have to take that advice on board. Choosing faith and not fear is a big one. Each day, and especially at night, we need to be using that shield of faith. There are plenty of fiery arrows around at the moment, some of them invisible to the naked eye, so our shield of faith is a vital piece of lockdown kit.