Pause for Thought

Adrian Bright, ReBorne Community Church

What a strange year 2020 has been! If I had described to you at the beginning of last year, what was going to happen in 2020, you would have thought I was telling you about a block buster movie that was soon to be released.

Looking back, it has not been entirely negative, there has been some very positive things to come out of 2020. For instance, I think it has brought families closer and throughout lockdown it was great to see so many mums and dads, spending quality time together as a family.

They say a crisis brings out the best in people, that was certainly true last year – take Captain Tom and all he managed to accomplish.We gained a more positive attitude toward each other, having more respect, regard, and concern for our neighbour, appreciating how important it is to be able to socialise with each other. Young people realised how important education is and to be more appreciative of all that it offers. We recognised and thanked our NHS, emergency services and all key workers for all the hard work they do.

Although last year has been tough, I think as a nation we are more appreciative of the many blessings we enjoy, living in a wealthy, free, democratic country, with so many benefits we so often take for granted.

Though there have been many positive things to come out of COVID-19, everyone agrees that we desperately need to get this virus under control, so we can get back to what is described as the new normal.

In December we heard the long-awaited news that a number of vaccines had been found to combat COVID-19. Now don’t get me wrong, in no way do I belittle that amazing news, because these vaccines will totally and dramatically change things for everyone, but we have to put things into perspective. However good these vaccines are, they are not the ultimate saviour, because there will be other viruses that come along that these vaccines are unable to combat, and again scientists will be called upon to find new vaccines. Other situations will come along that effect and even shake our lives to the core, causing us to reach rock bottom and question life. Things like, illness, rejection, betrayal, unemployment, disappointment, bankruptcy, and the ultimate situation, death, that we all eventually will face. Getting through them will require a special type of Saviour.

Now, for those of us who have put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, we believe we have found the ultimate Saviour. Like any other person, we will still have to face those situations, but we have a Saviour who will sustain, equip, and walk with us through anything that life throws at us. Even when we walk through the valley of death we need not fear, because our Saviour has promised to walk beside us through death into eternity and eternal life.

As a minister I’m often asked why I am so passionate about telling folk the good news of Jesus Christ. It’s simple, I want others to experience life in all its fullness, to know the joy of having had that amazing life-changing encounter with Jesus.

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