Faith in Aversity

I've just been watching a TV programme called 'Songs of Praise'. It's on every Sunday evening and contains a church service, interviews, hymns etc. I often think of it as a poor communicator of what the church is meant to be and reinforces church as a religious tradition that isn't relevant to the generation who are emerging.

Today was different. It was a programme about people who had been through terrible events and who have clung to their faith in Jesus to carry them through. There was a mother who lost her son in the London bombings on 7/7 last year speaking of her pain but absolute trust in God. She has set up a foundation to link mothers across the world whose "hearts have been maimed by war and terror" to demonstrate peace and love to the world.

Tavistock Square, London 7/7/05

Another story was of a village in Cornwall in the UK where a flash flood destroyed the village in August 2004 and washed away all their posessions. At the time the news footage was shocking. The people of the village were expressing that they were blessed by each others kindness and realised that posessions don't matter if you have a community of people to belong to. Feuds between villagers disappeared and people expressed that this event made them look to God through their massive needs and the kindness of the community.

I was moved by the hope that all these people communicated and the reality of God in the rubbish in the world. We have a hope to communicate and a God who is real, for whom no situation is too big. In a country where I feel like the only one who sees God sometimes, where apathy has set in, I saw a window of opportunity. We should be the ones on the frontline being known by love, living by faith and being the voice of hope. I'm inspired to be this!... anyone coming with me?!