It’s All Under Control

I spent yesterday evening at The Jolly Sailors with Martin. The pub was full – the Friday evening drink, fish and chips, friends out together. We chatted about work, families, politics, football, Lowestoft… usual stuff. People left. No-one drunk and disorderly; all under control…

Opposite us a group of folks were drinking, laughing, merry… A dog was with them, a black labrador. Other dogs were lying under tables. Black-lab was standing calm and alert, watching all that was going on, consistent, persistent, totally under control.

Yesterday was the last day of the summer football ‘transfer window’. England striker Ivan Toney moves from Brentford to Saudi side Al-Ahli for £40m… Arsenal sold goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton for £25m… Premier League teams have spent more than £1.96bn.

Teams at all levels buying and selling, governed by the power of football and money. It seems like a slave market – young men, some with wives and families, auctioned off to the highest bidder. Their future, out of their control.

So many people I chat to fear that their lives are getting out of control… older folks who’ve worked all of their lives are now unemployed, and on a bad day feel they are unemployable. Children they used to influence are making their own decisions.

Physically life’s out of control – the hearing, the cancer, the hip awaiting replacement. The memory isn’t what it was, there’s early signs of dementia? Worst of all there’s fear of the care home – where you lose all control.

In our garden the birds are on the feeders enjoying their breakfast… I remember Jesus’ words: ‘Look at the birds of the air… your heavenly Father feeds them…’ He’s got it all under control. This same Jesus controlled the storm, calming winds, waves and fearful friends with ‘Peace, be still.’

This morning, in a world, in my life, which often seems out of my control, I renew my trust in the one who – in ways that I don’t understand – has it all under control.