Towcester Methodist Church
Minister Andrew Bradley
Tel; 01280 123123Minister's Message
As I write, we are in the midst of the time of year that we call the season of Remembrance, although you will be reading this in the midst of Advent. November 1st was the day the church remembered all those who have died in the faith, and November 11th was Remembrance Day for those who died in armed conflicts. Around 1.2 million military personnel lost their lives during the two World Wars.
Many more have perished in the conflicts since then, with over 250 British military personnel having lost their lives since operations began in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the bloodshed is likely to continue. I've spent many hours with people who are struggling and wrestling with the biggest question - the WHY question in the face of relentless tragedies and injustices.
And like all ministers I come away feeling inadequate. But we can't shrink from the task of responding to that question. Because the very best way to honor the memories of the ones we've lost and loved is to live confident, productive lives. And the only way to do that is to actually be able to face that question.
We have to have the strength to face a world filled with constant devastation and loss. So where do we get that strength? One of the great themes of the Hebrew Scriptures is that God identifies with the suffering. But Christianity goes beyond that. Christians believe that in Jesus, God's son, divinity became vulnerable to and involved in - suffering and death. It is on the Cross that we see the ultimate wonder.
On the cross we sufferers finally see, to our shock, that God now knows too what it is to lose a loved one in an unjust attack. John Stott wrote: "I could never myself believe in God if it were not for the Cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?" Do you see what this means? We don't know the reason God allows evil and suffering to continue, but we know what the reason isn't, what it can't be. It can't be that he doesn't love us! It can't be that he doesn't care. God so loved us and hates suffering that he was willing to come down and get involved in it. The Cross is an incredibly empowering reminder of the Love of God, and if you grasp it, it can transform you. It can give you strength to tackle the WHY question, and so much more.
With every blessing
Andrew.
Towcester Methodist Church - The Friendly Church on Brackley Road
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