Dear Friends,
I wonder if any of you have watched ‘Who do you think you are?’ or ‘Long Lost Family’ on the television – or maybe some of you have carried out research into your own family history. It is interesting and can be fascinating… or can lead to surprises and sometimes even ‘open a can of worms’!
In Chapter 16 of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ This is a basic question that all followers of Jesus should ask – who do we think Jesus is? We probably all have a different answer to that question and probably all think of God in a different way. Our answer to that question will probably, and definitely should, change throughout our lives, as we grow in our faith.
Do we think of God as all-seeing and all-knowing and looking down on us and keeping a record of all that we do – the good things and the bad? Or do we think of God as accepting and welcoming, but somewhat distant and just waiting for us in heaven. Do we think of him as a stern judge, or as a loving parent or friend? Do we blame God when bad things happen – or do we believe that God will bring something good out of it? Who do we say that Jesus is – what would our answer be if Jesus asked us that question? Does our life reflect our answer?
It’s a question we should ask ourselves many times, not just once – and we should ask ourselves the question in different situations and circumstances – we should ask it when we are in our own homes, in a hospital or Care Home, on Sunday mornings and during the week, when we wake in the morning feeling refreshed and during the night when we are struggling to sleep. We should ask it not just when life is going well, but also when it is falling apart.
What we believe about God matters. In the midst of all that is happening in our world, it is important that we once again confess our faith and trust in Jesus, believing with all our heart, soul, mind and strength that he is the Saviour of our world, the Son of our living God. He promises to calm every storm and offers us a peace that passes all our understanding. He promises to hear our every prayer and to be with us always, even to the end of the age.
God loves all of creation – not just the world in all its greatness and complexity, but he also finds a space within that love for you and for me.
How amazing, that God, whose love encompasses the entire planet, has time and space for me and for you. That’s who Jesus is… God’s own Son, here for each one of us and walking beside us every day.
With every blessing,
Jenny Gibbs