23 January 2025

My family have been going through a bit of a rough patch, recently.
It's strange how sometimes life flows on, children are born, young people marry, work and leisure happen and, apart from getting a bit older, nothing much seems to change but then, all of a sudden, everything seems to be changing, nothing is stable and life is worrying and confusing.
As I write, Classic FM is playing the section from "Finlandia" that I know as the hymn, "We rest on Thee".....

1. We rest on thee, our Shield and our Defender!
We go not forth alone against the foe;
strong in thy strength, safe in thy keeping tender,
we rest on thee, and in thy name we go;
strong in thy strength, safe in thy keeping tender,
we rest on thee, and in thy name we go.

3. We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
and needing more each day thy grace to know:
yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
“We rest on thee, and in thy name we go”;
yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
“We rest on thee, and in thy name we go.”
(Edith Gilling Cherry)

"We go in faith ... We rest on Thee ..."
Jesus lived a fully human life so he knows what it is like to laugh, enjoy the company of others, love, delight in and worry about family; and he also knows what it is to suffer loss of loved ones and personal fear and physical agony. There isn't much that life can offer that he did not experience so he has insight, even were he simply human, into how we feel.
But he is not simply human, he is "one in being with God the Father", his strength and power are infinite to love us, to get us through the tough times and to bring us peace.

"We rest on thee, our Shield and our Defender!
We go not forth alone against the foe;
strong in thy strength, safe in thy keeping tender,
we rest on thee, and in thy name we go.. "
Thank you, Father for your infinite love and strength: help us to rest our hands in yours and to trust you to bring us safely through whatever life brings us.
Amen

With love
Jacquie xx