Letter 15 (28/06/2020)
Dear Friends,
This weekend, to give Mark and Sue a well deserved Sunday off, Carolynn will deliver the sermon and I am writing the letter. I think that for all of us there have been highs and lows during this strange time of lockdown. I start to wonder how people without faith cope with the reality of their everyday situations. As a family we enjoy eating out, theatre visits, concerts and sport. It has been hard for all of us to be unable to meet with friends and family and when we can get together, not to be able to express our love with a comforting hug.
Many folk have made a decision to embrace this time, learning new skills or to do all the indoor and outdoor jobs that had been put on hold, to clear out the clutter…paperwork, clothes, possessions etc. Great fun!
Many Christians have taken this time as an opportunity to reconnect and focus on God.
Let’s not focus on what has not been part of our lives but on what as Christians we all have in our lives- not just for a brief spell but forever, for eternity. God is ever present .Philippians 4 verse 4 tells us to “rejoice in the Lord always “. We can take time and make time to enjoy his presence. Who else could lead and guide us and protect us? He loves us unconditionally despite our flaws. Why would we look to the world when we have everything we need provided by our all powerful God .To state the obvious, our personal relationship with Jesus determines everything else in our lives. I’d encourage you all (and me) to make sure that we do we set aside a time and a place for God, to be in his presence and listen to Him daily.
Also, this lockdown time has highlighted for me how much I value the special time we come together each Sunday as God’s children to worship as a fellowship. Our family at Sion means a lot to us all.
I’ll close with the words of an old hymn which have reassured me recently. “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things on earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Ann Alden