In the reading we’ve just heard Paul encourages his readers to ‘be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his power’. It is a wonderful and rousing call, and must have been truly inspirational coming from someone like Paul who had done such dramatic and wonderful work for God. And yet, it’s a call that we so often feel a little uncomfortable about following.
The theory is great, and most of us wouldn’t argue with it, but the reality is that we live in a world where we’re often quite cautious; where we’re often ready to look for the logical and easy way rather than the way we know to be absolutely right. Not too long ago we thought in church about Matthias, who was the person chosen to replace Judas Iscariot – his selection process wasn’t long and complicated. Instead members of the early church simply drew lots, trusting in God to point them in the right direction.
We may see that now as a rather naïve way of doing things, but I wonder if it is naïve or whether it is a display of absolute faith and trust in God, who is big enough to handle any situation.
Some friends of ours recently went to Epcot in Florida. One of the big attractions there is a huge ball called Space Ship Earth. Our friend said to her son that it looked like a giant golf ball, and he replied that it must be God’s golf ball because it was so big.
We often talk of the innocence of children, but often neglect to talk of the wisdom of children, and our readings today make it clear how big and powerful God is, and how that power is a great source of protection for us always.
There are people who criticise the church at times for a lack of willingness to stand up and take risks. Some will quote the examples of churches in years gone by who fought for an end to things such as child labour and slavery in this country, and they will say that the church has lost that drive to stand up for justice.
I’m sure that’s not true – there are still churches who are driving so many things forward, things such as food banks and campaigns to end poverty; there are still churches driving forward many groups such as Street Pastors and there are so many Christians working for charities, but maybe it is true that at times we are not bold enough in remembering that God is big - that he is a God who mightily protects us against any danger, and in whose company we can be bold !
In our first reading from Psalm 103, we were told of the power of God to forgive, to heal and to love – there is a sense throughout that God is continually reaching out to protect his people – to protect his children whom he loves with a steadfast love. This is not a God who is wanting to make contact with him difficult, but a God who is reaching out in love.
I have been privileged to visit the Holy Land on a number of occasions, and each time I’ve been there I’ve met up with a Priest who now works in Jerusalem. He has the unusual mixture of being an Arab Israeli Citizen, who is also a Christian. Add to that the fact that he is married to a Palestinian from the West Bank, and you’ll work out that life isn’t always easy for him or for many of the people he works with on a regular basis.
It would be much easier for him to have accepted one of the many offers he has had to take his wife and children away from such a difficult situation, but he believes he is in the place where God wants him to be, and he knows that God will look after him and his family. Day by day he may face problems. Day by day as he works to bring people and even communities together - people who often have a history of hating each other - he takes risks himself, and yet he does so with the confidence that God is with him and protecting him.
It would be wrong to think that this means he will never come to any physical harm, but it reminds us that we have a God who is big enough and strong enough to be with us, supporting us and guiding us wherever we are. And that protection that he offers is everlasting protection.
In this country we may not face the threats to life that others in parts of the world do, but we’ll often have our own fears – the fears of meeting new people, the fears of problems in work or at home, the worries of money or concerns for a loved one who is struggling, we may have health problems,but we have God and God is big enough to deal with any ofthese things if we let him.
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he speaks of the tools that God has given us. He asks us to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power – and he gives us those tools not just to protect us, but to empower us to go out with confidence, knowing that wherever we go, God goes with us. AMEN
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