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A Season of Hope

Dear Friends,

What hope can we have in a world like the one
we have today? Countless people are dying
because of wars that we humans have started.
There is poverty, illness and famine. plus
extreme weather caused by climate change.
Most scientists accept that climate change is due
to our bad stewardship of the earth. Things are
changing a bit, as we become more aware, but
we do not know what legacy we are leaving our children and
grandchildren. It's a bleak outlook.

Are we doing as much as we can to alleviate the suffering of those
in our own country and around the world? I for one often feel quite
depressed about the situation and powerless to do much about it.
Received wisdom is that we concentrate on the smaller things
which we enjoy: spending quality time with family and friends, the
beauty of nature, a pastime or hobby. There are positive things
happening in the world too, if we look for them, including the
kindness and support of others.

Christian have a special hope at this time of year when Advent
brings good news of the birth of Jesus. He was an obscure
carpenter from a backwater called Nazareth, with a short ministry of
three years and a small group of followers. But His mission grew
from small beginnings to become a world wide movement. That
was a miracle because God was behind it. Can God help us to
produce another miracle and save our fragile world from war,
suffering and climate change?

This is the season of hope, as we look forward again to the coming
of Christ with His message of love, forgiveness and salvation. We
may do what we can to aid the world in these dark times, but never
forgetting that God is with us. Jesus said, 'with God all things are
possible', so let's pray for our world to the God of hope.
.
Every blessing Janet

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