There are so many things in the news at the moment that make our hearts ache.
We might think of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the irrationality and brutality of Vladimir Putin; instability between China and Taiwan, and Xi Jinping’s oppressive rule; tensions around Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan; Afghanistan; the state of US politics; the state of UK politics, for that matter; climate change; famine in Africa; the drought; the Lambeth Bishops’ Conference; soaring energy prices; problems with the NHS; the gap between rich and poor – and so on.
We live in a hopeless world. Or at least a world full of false hopes which are quickly dashed.
In the West we seem to be going through what Os Guinness calls ‘a civilisational moment’ – a time when the foundations are being destroyed. Reading of the four horsemen of the apocalypse from Revelation at times feels like reading a news bulletin – death, war, civil strife, famine and plague no longer seem the stuff of ages past. The fears that people have about climate change, racism, economic depression or gender confusion only add to the growing sense of hopelessness and gloom.
‘Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel,’ writes Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:16.
As we move from 2021 to 2022, and with so many things potentially crowding our minds – the pandemic, rising gas and electricity prices, the refugee crisis, climate change, moral relativism, transgender issues, cancel culture, or whatever it might be – it is good to return simply and firmly once again to… the gospel.
Ready for Christ’s return?
There are so many things in the news at the moment that make our hearts ache.
We might think of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the irrationality and brutality of Vladimir Putin; instability between China and Taiwan, and Xi Jinping’s oppressive rule; tensions around Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan; Afghanistan; the state of US politics; the state of UK politics, for that matter; climate change; famine in Africa; the drought; the Lambeth Bishops’ Conference; soaring energy prices; problems with the NHS; the gap between rich and poor – and so on.