A Reading
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honour. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5: 6)
A Thought
Last Thursday we loaded our Mini for a day out. As we set off, I noticed that some of the lights were not working, and Judith noticed a dashboard message that advised us to visit a Mini service centre when convenient. At the end of our driveway, Judith found that the front windows were not working, and further along the road that the indicators were not working either. We limped home.
Anxious to repair the Mini, we phoned a garage that we trusted, described the symptoms, and made an appointment. On the due date, the Mini was carefully chaperoned to the garage.
The garage identified the component that was causing the problems, but were unable to mend it themselves. Fortunately, they knew a specialist local firm who repair this sort of thing, and I happily approved this approach.
The car returned in working order. I asked what had been the problem, and they restated that the component was not working, they had sent it to a specialist firm, and it had been repaired. I realised that none of us know how it has been mended, just that it has been mended by an expert.
It is not uncommon for more serious problems to arise in our lives. We may find that we become unemployed, that we have developed a terminal illness, or that a family relationship becomes irreparably broken.
In such circumstances, we may seek the counsel of someone whom we trust. Often this may be a fellow Christian, who will listen with love and without judgement.
It is unlikely that such companion is able to sort the problem, but they know the God who can.
God cares about us. Instead of submitting to circumstances, we can submit to the One who controls our circumstances. Through Jesus Christ, he has experienced earthly life and is anxious to bear the weight of our struggles. Through the Holy Spirit he is anxious to guide us along the path to a full life.
We don’t know how it works, and we don’t need to know. But with the power that comes from our trust in God, we can be confident that our issues will be addressed.
A Prayer (Psalm 119)
Dear God,
Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope.
Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.
Amen