Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ !
1 Corinthians 15:57
As I write this, the news bulletins are full of tributes, pictures and recollections of the funeral of Winston Churchill in January 1965. I can remember watching the funeral on TV and the reverence of my parents and uncles and aunties who had experienced his leadership of the Nation during those war years when for so much of the time we appeared to be on the brink of defeat.
Churchill, I am sure, made good decisions and bad decisions during that time but it seems as if he never made a bad speech. His words inspired the nation then and have remained oft quoted ever since. I was thinking about his first speech to the House of Commons in 1940 which he began by saying ‘ I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat and ended by saying You ask what is our aim? I can answer in one word :Victory. Victory at all costs. Victory in spite of all terror. Victory however long and hard the road may be. For
without victory there is no survival
.
I wondered if Churchill was taking inspiration from Jesus who on the Mount of Olives shortly before his arrest and crucifixion withdrew to spend time in prayer. We read that an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him . And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (Luke 22:44).
I have read that Churchill was a man who whilst not professing a devout Christian belief would often pray to God in times of trouble and need. What we read of Jesus is of one who always turned to his Father in prayer and that’s what he did at this particular time when he was facing certain suffering and death.
How is your prayer life today ? Do you believe it makes any difference? James writes that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Would Jesus have encouraged us to pray on so many occasions if it made no difference at all? Did the prayers of Churchill and the many, many, Christians who regularly prayed during WW2 make a difference?
Why should we pray ? Churchill said that our aim in one word is Victory Jesus described victory when he prayed for all those who believe ‘
May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:23).
We have much to pray for within the fellowship and for our community and the wider world during 2015. May we each be prepared to give our all, yes even our blood, toil, tears and sweat to bring about the victory of a new heaven and a new earth. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ !
Stuat Beadle
Elder
Feb 2015
Comments on this entry are closed.