The country has been going through tragic times in recent weeks.
Indeed, checking up on the news at the minute seems to involve the risk of watching something new and shocking unfold, somewhere in our nation.
I’m sure like myself you’ve watched the news in shocked silence at some of the tragedies that have happened, whatever their cause.
However, shocked silence can only last so long, as we’ve seen through some of the angry protests that have been taking place in the wake of the terrible tragedy at Grenfell Tower in London. People have been devastated, have suffered terrible loss and they want answers, they want understanding, they want action – and if we put ourselves in their shoes we can really feel that too.
We can hope and pray for answers, understanding and action – along with compassion – but in the end there is always the sad knowledge that whatever solutions put forward by those in power won’t totally remove our problems. They will be effective to some extent (we hope), but will lack the power to totally remove pain and suffering.
In Psalm 146:2-5 the Psalmist tells us: ‘Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God’ (NIV).
This summer, pray with me for our nation, pray for those who suffer, pray for insight and compassion for those who have the power to change things.
But don’t forget that there is only One who can bring the change we truly and finally need – so pray too that our nation puts its hope in Him.
Hope in the Lord – comment by Rev Chris Collins
The country has been going through tragic times in recent weeks.
Indeed, checking up on the news at the minute seems to involve the risk of watching something new and shocking unfold, somewhere in our nation.
I’m sure like myself you’ve watched the news in shocked silence at some of the tragedies that have happened, whatever their cause.
However, shocked silence can only last so long, as we’ve seen through some of the angry protests that have been taking place in the wake of the terrible tragedy at Grenfell Tower in London. People have been devastated, have suffered terrible loss and they want answers, they want understanding, they want action – and if we put ourselves in their shoes we can really feel that too.
We can hope and pray for answers, understanding and action – along with compassion – but in the end there is always the sad knowledge that whatever solutions put forward by those in power won’t totally remove our problems. They will be effective to some extent (we hope), but will lack the power to totally remove pain and suffering.
In Psalm 146:2-5 the Psalmist tells us: ‘Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God’ (NIV).
This summer, pray with me for our nation, pray for those who suffer, pray for insight and compassion for those who have the power to change things.
But don’t forget that there is only One who can bring the change we truly and finally need – so pray too that our nation puts its hope in Him.