Google it - where do you find the truth in 2021?

All photos courtesy of Unsplash 

I have learned a lot from my grandchildren.  At the moment they are thirteen and fifteen and I have enjoyed watching them grow from tiny babies into active and curious teenagers.  One of the things I have particularly loved about them was their curiosity.  They have always been full of questions such as “Why does the sun go in and out?” and “Why does the moon change shape?”  At the moment they think that grandpa knows everything.  Well, almost everything.

Jacob, the younger of the two, did catch me out some years back when he was nine.  We were travelling along the Mumbles Road at the time of a high tide when he came out with the question, “Grandpa, how much water is in the sea?”

I paused before answering. “A lot!” I replied.

He was not going to let me get away with that.

“I know, but how many litres is that?”

I shook my head.  “Sorry, I don’t know.”

He was quiet for a couple of minutes, then came out with the answer.

“We could Google it!”  Google!  The source of all information.  

Perhaps you remember the days before we had online information.  Then, to many, the definitive source of information was the Encyclopaedia Britannica with its multiplicity of volumes. I only ever saw a complete set of the Encyclopaedia when I was in school and wondered at the time how long it would take to read them all, but now we have Google and therein lies a problem, for not all the information online is correct.

A few years ago when Mary Berry was stepping down as judge on the Great British Bake Off, I was searching for something online, when, quite by accident I stumbled across a hyperlink which said, “New judge appointed for the Great British Bake Off.”

I was intrigued, and so I clicked on it to see who was going to replace the legendary Mary Berry.  The page I came on to had a large colourful picture of Mr Tumble complete with yellow bowler, red nose and spotted bow tie. For those of you unfamiliar with children’s TV, Mr Tumble is a modern version of Coco the Clown, and, yes, the page was a spoof.

Having said that, it was cleverly written and very convincing. It raises the question, how can we know what is right? Surrounded by conflicting opinions on the media and bombarded by everything on the internet, where can we find the truth.

The Bible tells us that truth is not found in a thing but in a person – The Lord Jesus Christ.  In fact, He was not just the source of truth but could make a remarkable statement.  In John 14 v 6 we read these words. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way the truth and the life.”  It was not that Jesus spoke the truth or represented the truth. He claimed that He WAS the truth. 

In this world of fake news when we are surrounded by some who would seek to deceive us, it is good to know the One who was and is totally trustworthy. No wonder, then, that millions down through the ages have trusted Him with their lives and committed their lives to Him.

Messages with Meaning (30/03/21) Written by Stephen Treseder for Your542Day

The joy of a newborn!

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

There is great joy when a baby is born. I remember the birth of our two boys very well. Our eldest was born six weeks early, and number two was born on his agreed due date. I have got to admit that I shed tears of joy at both births. 

We chose not to find out the gender of our boys, so we waited patiently for their birth. In recent years, many people decide to say “Yes, please”, in response to the question, “Would you like to know if you are having a boy or a girl?” They then may have gone on to hold a gender reveal party. 

News from an expectant couple is good news. It is usually shared after the 12 weeks scan. Good news spreads fast with family and friends being told via text, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or a good, old-fashioned phone call. A birthday is a happy day with a great deal of shared celebration. Names would have been discussed, and a nursery made ready. 

The prophet Isaiah foretold the birth of Jesus some 700 years before His actual birth: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.“ Fast forward to the New Testament where Luke tells us of a young teen, Mary, who was visited by an angel who told her, “…you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest…”

There was no scan and no need to discuss names. Both were shared with Mary. She then spoke with Joseph, to whom she was betrothed. To be betrothed meant engaged to be married. Joseph wanted to end this arrangement privately to not embarrass her because the baby was not his, but enter another angel to reassure him that God was at work. In due course, the baby boy was born, and He was given the name Jesus. So, what is so special about this birth? It is His name, Jesus, Saviour.  

Having spoken about birth, Jesus introduced the phrase ‘born again’ as he chatted with a ruler of the Jews called Nicodemus one night. Jesus said: “…unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ ” 

He was thinking physically, but Jesus was emphasizing the spiritual side of life. Have you experienced this second birth? Do you have a day in your life’s experience when you were born into God’s family? For me, it was on Tuesday, August 10th, 1982, in a farmer’s field in Llangennith. 

Please remember that God has always promoted family life. Adam and Eve were encouraged to multiply. Paul told the early church that mums, dads and children were to respect each other and live in line with God’s values. Today’s message has been about birth and, more importantly, new birth, which is having a relationship with God. I have two birthdays: a natural birth-day and a second spiritual birthday. I hope you do too!

Messages with Meaning (05/03/21), Written by Nigel Binding for Your542Day