What if living in an advanced society is not enough?

The ongoing development of technology is revolutionising every dimension of the human experience. Advances in genetics are helping doctors diagnose, treat, and prevent disease on an unprecedented scale. Retailers are developing ways to deliver their products to our homes via drones. Mobile devices allow people to work remotely more easily than ever. Autonomous vehicles may eventually enable people to commute to the office while working in their cars (if people go to an office at all). As a result, suburbs will extend farther from city centres than ever before. It’s hard to identify a dimension of our daily lives that is unaffected by the amazing advances of technology. Those with the skill and discipline to create and market such remarkable inventions deserve the gratitude of those of us who benefit from their expertise daily. And yet, despite all our astounding scientific progress our world is still in trouble. For instance:

Phrases we have used in Lockdown

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Have you ever heard someone speaking and not understood them? Perhaps you said “Uh?” or “what?”. Was the person using jargon or an acronym, maybe? Now I have probably got you saying “Uh?” 

We often use abbreviations when communicating with others. Please do not think of this as a test, but do you recognize these? PC? Police Constable or Politically Correct. PTO? Please Turn Over. ASAP? As Soon As Possible. DIY? Do It Yourself, of course.  And a final one, ATM? Automated Teller Machine better known as the hole in the wall of our banks, of course! 

2020 will be remembered for certain words and phrases like Unprecedented, Pandemic, Lockdown, Social Distancing and Stay Alert amongst others. 

I would like to put a Biblical spin on these proving that they are not really new phrases or descriptions. 

Captain Tom & Philanthropy

The Queen has led tributes to Capt. Sir Tom Moore, the second world war veteran who raised almost £39m for NHS charities during the first coronavirus lockdown in spring 2020, who has died aged 100 after testing positive for coronavirus. It has been well said “Captain Tom Moore put others first at a time of national crisis and was a beacon of hope for millions. Britain has lost a hero.’’ He certainly was one of life’s great philanthropist, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this sad time.  

In the Bible, the Apostle Paul wrote to a co-worker by the name of Titus who was doing a work for God on the Island of Crete in the Mediterranean. In the letter, Paul used the word ‘philanthropy’ in connection with God. Titus worked with people whose lives were wrecked by sin in probably more ways than we would care to imagine. Paul says: “Just a second Titus! We need to remind ourselves of something – our own hearts are no better than the Cretans.” For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lust.

Your PPE for 2021 (Believers take note)

Used by permission of Unsplash 

 
Provision of personal protective equipment for people who are dealing with coronavirus cases has been a big problem in many places. It is a shame that for lack of it, some dedicated medical staff and carers have been more at risk.
 
The three letters, PPE, have become the quick way to describe things like face masks, visors, gloves, overalls and so on – you hear it all the time! But if you were not ‘in the know’ you might wonder what PPE was! However, we use abbreviations (acronyms) like these all the time. For example, we refer to CT scans at hospital, we take precautions to avoid UV light, traffic police talk of RTAs, there are SVQs in education and training, we have MPs and MSPs, and one of these nights (a bit later on!) you might have a BBQ. I’m sure you can add a few more to the list, but can’t forget the NHS!

The Battle is on!

All Photographs courtesy of Unsplash

The fight against coronavirus continues unabated, and the war may not be over for some time yet. Everyone who is contributing to it deserves our sincere thanks and needs a place in our daily prayers. We have our part to play too, of course, obeying the rules to stop the spread of infection, and doing what we can to help, alongside what others are doing in a big way, devotedly and sacrificially.

 

We remember NHS staff risking their lives on the front line for the sake of those who are ill. Sadly this week more doctors and nurses working in UK hospitals have died, as have many more across the world. Words often quoted from the Bible come to mind: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lays down his life for his friends.” 

Isolation

All photos used by permission of Unsplash

 

We are getting more used to self-isolation, strange though it is! And, sadly, it looks as if it could be getting worse again. We hope and pray that it does limit the spread of this dreadful disease, still at large almost everywhere.
 
I am always glad of a friendly voice to chat with, or a message to read or listen to, so here is something to think about - about people in the Bible who were isolated, not on government instructions, but on God’s instructions. If you want to read about them again, the relevant chapters, from the Bible, for each of them are in brackets. 

Be still . . .

All photographs used by permission of Unsplash

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46.10)

 

Our valued NHS staff can’t relax and be still just now, run off their feet caring for people. Many others are busy keeping our food supplies going. We thank them for their courage, and pray for their safety. For most of us though, everything is strangely quiet, the streets are empty such as we’ve never seen before. We have the opportunity to “Be still”.  

 

Sometimes we are too busy to settle down, to quieten our thoughts, to focus on the most important things in life. Whatever else may be important to us, nothing is more important for us all just now than listening to God, and speaking to Him about whatever concerns us. As we listen to Him in the stillness, He listens to us as we pray.

 

You could read Psalm 46 where our key verse comes from. It describes in graphic language situations which seem out of control, threatening and upsetting, like what is facing people all over the world right now.

 

Notice first v.5 – God is right there, and He promises to help, to keep us steady, to calm our fears: “therefore we will not fear” (v.2). We read this also in Hebrews 13.5-6: “He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you, so we may boldy say ... I will not fear”. Also in Psalm 23, even in the valley of the shadow of death “I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” So for now and for always, let us “trust and not be afraid” (Isaiah 12.2).

 

Now notice v.10: “Be still ...” He wants us to know that He is GOD.

We should “Sit still”- waiting for a promise to come true (Ruth 3.18).

Then three times in the Bible we read that we should “Stand still “ -  

·       In Exodus 14.13  - to trust the great power of God to save us.

·       In 1 Samuel 9.27 - to listen to the good Word of God to guide us.

·       In Job 37.14 - to consider the wondrous works of God all around us, to lift our spirits to worship Him who made them all. 

 

If you want to sing something about being still, try this one 

(tune Finlandia)

 

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake

To guide the future, as He has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

 

Here is another one, one from Sunday School days 

(tune What a friend we have in Jesus)

 

Said the robin to the sparrow, “Friend I’d really like to know

Why those anxious human beings rush about and worry so!”

Said the sparrow to the robin, “Friend I think that it must be

That they have no heavenly Father, such as cares for you and me!”

 

So the robin and the sparrow sang their chorus, O so sweet:

“Don’t you know that Jesus loves you, come and gather round HIs feet.

He who cares for robin redbreast, He who marks the sparrow’s fall

Is the One who died to save you, for He loves you, one and all”

Written and used by kind permission of Bert Cargill, Scotland 

What if there is a virus that is more virulent than COVID-19?

All photos courtesy of Unsplash

The outbreak and spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought about a large measure of panic throughout the world. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the first case was recorded in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and since then it has rapidly extended to multiple other countries worldwide, and been declared a global pandemic. It is predicted to have implications upon medical, economical, societal, political and educational spheres on an unprecedented and unparalleled scale.