It’s the end of the year. I’m aware of things that have changed this year. There have been international changes that affect millions, personal changes that affect just a few, good changes and bad changes, changes that have brought joy and changes that have brought sadness…
…Musing on three constants through 2025 and will remain constant through 2026.
I was talking to a friend about enjoying the changing seasons – autumn colours, cold winters, spring regeneration, warm summers… In our garden I’m enjoying the trees, flowers growing through winter, spring bulbs already poking through… I enjoy living by the sea – our familiar stretch of beach…
In Genesis… Noah’s built the ark, the flood has come, changing, uncertain times of have been out of his control. God says, ‘As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, ay and night, will never cease.’
The beauty of our world remains constant.
Last night’s news reported… Paul Elliot receiving an MBE in the New Year’s honours list for his charity work. Our children enjoyed this ‘lad from a council estate in Rotherham’, as one of the ‘Chuckle Brothers’, a comedian who made them chuckle…
His brother Barry died from bone cancer in 2018 and was given compassionate end-of-life care by Marie Curie nurses. Since then Paul has been a prominent supporter and ambassador for the charity…
The need for good people to do good things remains constant.
I heard John Rutter’s setting of Aaron’s priestly blessing: ‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.’
It’s a benediction – it’s about speaking well of others and wishing them well. It’s a prayer that acknowledges God’s goodness, presence and peace. It describes the loving, caring, active relationship that God has with His people.
The loving, caring, active God, remains a constant. His desire for us to be involved in His loving, caring activity remains constant.
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