They're all the same really

In the next week or two, The Well, the magazine that the church produces and distributes free of charge to all 5000 residents of our two parishes, will land on people's doormats.

As usual, page 4 has a letter from me:

Dear friends,

We’ve just come through the most unpredictable General Election for many years; people are talking not only of there being a new government but of a whole new way of doing politics. Time will tell what difference these changes will make, and whether they are great or small.

I’m sure that readers of The Well vary as to how they feel about the Election result. Some will be delighted to see a new government appointed; others will feel disappointed that the outgoing administration was not given longer. However we feel, the Bible warns us against pinning our hopes on human leaders. “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save”, says Psalm 146:3. This is a temptation for us all. Those who welcome the new regime will be tempted to expect too much of them; those who are disappointed will be tempted to feel that too much has been lost.

The Psalm goes on to explain why we should not look to human leaders to solve all our problems: “When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.” Our leaders will all die one day, and so they are all frail. By contrast, “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth.” (Psalm 146:5).

Of course, part of the appeal of party-politics is that we all want to see “one of us” in power; being human, we wish for a man or woman to pin our hopes on. Happily, the Christian gospel is that we have one. In Jesus, God himself became a man, so that we can look to a fellow human-being to meet our greatest needs, and without placing our trust away from God. What’s more, he is risen and will never die again. Jesus is Saviour and Lord, titles our politicians cannot bear themselves, and we are warned not to give them that kind of trust. Jesus deserves our total trust; as the Psalm says, blessing comes to those who make him their help and their hope.

Your friend and vicar, James

s doormats.

As usual, page 4 has a letter from me: