Reflections

Introduction

They say that “life is what you make it”. Yet not everyone can fix their lives and certainly not all of the time. Life throws curveballs.  It puts us flat on our face without a warning. It doesn’t always add up. How do we make sense of it all?  

This page is a monthly reflection on life that attempts to make sense  of it.

October Reflection

Have you heard the news today?

I was having coffee with a friend the other week and asking him how he was. He admitted to being depressed snd the reason for his depression was very interesting. The News! Whenever he turned on any news item it was simply depressing. Destruction in Gaza. War in Ukraine. A failing NHS. A government in crisis. In his eyes it was all utterly relentless and he was getting to the point that he was shutting down TV and radio altogether. I notice for my own part that the ITV news at 10 has one little item at the end  which is usually positive, but the rest is just misery piled on misery. Of course I am not saying we should ignore the bad news, merely reflecting on the impact that it has on us.

All this got me thinking. If most of the media content is negative, what kind of content do I give people? Am I good news or am I bad news? What I mean is, in my speech and my actions do I come across to other people as positive or negative? Do people feel better or worse in my company? In my speech and actions do I bring hope or do I just bring more negativity?

I am struck by the fact that in the gospels Jesus both spoke good news and modelled good news. He brought a message that God wants to re-establish a vibrant relationship with us humans. Through Jesus and his death on the cross he wants to bring forgiveness, hope and a new life with him. That is a message that has brought much hope to my life. I also notice that Jesus modelled good news to people. He healed the sick. He brought peace to the mentally ill. He fed the hungry.

We can’t avoid all the bad news in the world, but we can learn to be good news ourselves. We can bring hope into other people’s lives. We can be the people that other people want to be around. We can visit a lonely neighbour, be a listening ear, sit with a friend in hospital or give someone a meal. We can use our mouths to encourage rather than criticise. Also the more we do it, the more it will spread and the more other people will be encouraged to do the same.

Every Sunday we have a service at 10:30am. Services tend to include the following:

 

  • We sing together a variety of contemporary and traditional hymns.
  • We have times of prayer.
  • We have readings from the Bible.
  • We hear a message linked to the Bible reading(s).
  • Sometimes we have opportunities for people to share experiences.
  • Every month we share Communion.

Previous Reflections

July Reflection

Keeping watch when the lights go out In 1994 we had our first driving holiday in France. I had...

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Eastern Baptist Association conference interview

2024 Reflections