Parish Magazine Item for August

I don’t know how much the academic year impinges on your consciousness. The ages of our children mean that the summer holidays are a big deal for us. From September, for just one year, our 4 will all be at Dallington C of E Primary school. Our youngest, Thomas, is starting school for the first time, so it seems like the end of a long era for us!

For many, August and September are a time of transition, whether it’s new classes and/or teachers, new schools, colleges or universities. Let’s especially be praying for the young people from our benefice who are about to leave home for the first time and for the work of The Universities’ and Colleges’ Christian Fellowship (UCCF), the Christian Unions. You can read more about them at: uccf.org.uk.

We’ve presented those Year 6s leaving Warblers, our after-school club at Punnetts Town School, with bibles and the Year 6 leavers at Dallington and Punnetts Town schools and elsewhere receive a copy of the Scripture Union book, It’s Your Move, all about starting secondary school.

Many of our young people will see these changes as exciting new challenges, but its perfectly normal if there’s also a little anxiety about the unfamiliar.

Whether or not this summer sees great change for us, for everyone, the future is uncertain. Anything could happen! Indeed, as I’ve thought about writing this article, I’ve wondered whether there will be further cabinet resignations before its published, how much Brexit turmoil there will be, and perhaps even whether the government will somehow have fallen. Who knows?!

As we face an uncertain future, I’ve encouraged the children at Dallington School to remember two biblical texts from the letter to the Hebrew Christians. Here they are:

(1) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Everything changes, but God never does. Jesus is utterly reliable and trustworthy. Whatever happens, he has promised to be with his people. He will not leave those who trust in him comfortless.

So, as the writer to the Hebrews says:

(2) “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2)

Jesus told his followers not to worry about tomorrow. So many things might concern us, but if we are wise, we wont waste our energies speculating about what might or might not happen. Rather, whatever we face, we face it looking to Jesus, inspired by his example and confident in his care. All our circumstances might change in an instant, and Christians are not insulated even from terrible disaster, but we do have Jesus’ promise that he will help and sustain us. He walked the path of change and the most dreadful suffering before us, and through his victory over sin and death, he is more than able to save us completely, to bring us safely through to glory. We really can rely on him.

Whether your summer is tranquil or full of turmoil, perhaps you’ll find a moment this August to sit in the garden or lay on the beach and reflect on those two great Bible truths. They point us to Jesus, a sure anchor in a world of change. The new academic year is perhaps an opportunity for a fresh start: to pray for God’s grace that by the help of his Holy Spirit we might be able to face the future confidently knowing that Jesus does not change. He has gone before us and will be with us even to the end of the age. If we are believers, our security in Jesus Christ is absolute and that unalterable fact is a stronghold against fear of the future. The future belongs to our loving Lord. Much along the way may be painful, but the wonderful final outcome of all things is not in doubt.