What if? Newsletter 27 April 08

Do you ever wonder what would have happened if you had gone another way? Not made that decision? What would your life have been like? How would you have developed as a person? Would you have turned out differently? Me, I have often wondered this. What if my parents had not returned to live in England from the USA when I was 10? What sort of person would I have been ? How would my life have developed? Would I have been me? During my lifetime I have had to make decisions as to which way to go, which path to take. Have there been any regrets? Did I make these decisions all by myself? Was God there guiding my thoughts and giving me a nudge in the right direction? I have known some people who go on rather a lot about how their lives might have been easier-richer-better if they had done this, rather than that, taken this road rather than that one; but that is negative. Thanks to God, I feel I have no regrets about the path my life has taken; it has been rich in so many ways and happy and fulfilled.

Thinking about this made me wonder what would have happened if Peter, James and John and the other disciples whom Jesus called to ‘follow me’, had said ‘no’.. Would Jesus have found others equally as strong and steadfast? Would the Good News have spread so far and endured so long if that had happened? Would we be worshipping here today?

God gave us free will to choose, but I am convinced that whichever way we do choose to follow, God is there, right beside us every step of the way, every day and always. We may not be aware of this at the moment of planning and decision, but he is. We just need to trust in him and his unfailing love that is given to each of us in such great abundance. Then there will be no regrets, no ‘what ifs’..

Every Blessing, Doreen.

Newsletter 13 April: Speaking Out

During Holy Week I was waiting to be served in a small local shop when the subject of opening on Easter Sunday became a topic of conversation between the people who worked there and customers. A young lady on hearing that this establishment was opening on Easter Sunday voiced her opposition to it stating that as Easter Sunday is the most important day in the Christian year shops should not open. I admired this young lady for speaking out especially as the reaction from the other people was one of bemusement and slight embarrassment.

This led me to consider the times when we voice our opposition to events. I think we find it fairly easy to voice opposition to events abroad with which we disagree, whether it is Robert Mugabee’s rule in Zimbabwe or the plight of the Tibetan people. We may follow up this opposition by supporting charities which work with oppressed people or by writing to our M.P. or even to the press.

Nationally, again we tend to find it easy to voice our opposition to decisions, perhaps by signing petitions or pre-written letters, to our M.P. and other relevant bodies.

However it struck me that when it comes to speaking out about situations closer to home, especially when approaching it from a religious viewpoint, we are less confident. This may be because we are unsure how our comments will be received and perhaps find it difficult to respond to opposition or dismissal of what are perceived as irrelevant views in today’s secular society.
I pray that we will all find the courage and confidence to speak out when confronted with views and situations which are contrary to our Christian belief.

God bless
Lilian