As the clocks go back and the nights draw in November is a grafting time of year. Time to be faithful and to be thankful for the good things we have.
October 31st this year seems to be a massive day for our nation. We are due to leave the European Union and as I write, most of us don’t have a clue how things will turn out! Will we be worse off or better off? Will chaos descend on our ports and transport hubs? Will our economy take a dive? … We just don’t know!
It is worrying but not without precedence. Our nation has known moments of crisis before and come through them. Mercifully, we are not at war with anyone and we do have able diplomats and good negotiators. But prayer for our leaders is still very much needed.
From a faith perspective – One thing is sure – that God, in His kindness and mercy will be with us – as He is with all His people across the world.
In the book of Genesis, we read the story of Jacob who was deeply troubled. He hadn’t always been truthful and honest. He had taken advantage of his opportunities at the expense of his brother. In a dream Jacob saw a ladder going up to heaven and the angels of God ascending and descending down to the earth. Jacob heard God’s voice reassuring him that He would bless him and his descendants.
When Jacob woke up, he felt so much better and was deeply moved to acknowledge: “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.”
The circumstances around Brexit do look uncertain and even grim. But we too are called to have faith that God is surely in this place … in this situation. Our faith teaches us that God has been with us; that He IS with us. And that He will be with us before, during and beyond our membership of the EU.
That doesn’t mean that the next weeks and months will be plain sailing, and it doesn’t mean that there won’t be consequences arising out of our decision and our politicians’ negotiations but it does mean that God’s goodness and kindness remains. Our task is to be faithful, to be thankful and to be prayerful about the future.
Peter Chantry
