Like many of you, I woke this morning to the news that the Queen has died. Even though she was 96 years old, it still came as a surprise that we will no longer have a Queen. In the words of the new British Prime Minister, ‘This is the passing of the Second Elizabethan Age’, and in a way it does feel like that, that a new era will soon begin.
It will be a matter of time until we start talking about updating the coins and having a wider conversation about whether New Zealand should become a Republic. This isn’t just the passing of a public figure but a symbol of the potential cultural and political change to come in light of all this.
In all of this, I’m reminded of Paul’s own attitude in light of persecution, uncertainty and change. As we read in Philippians on Sunday, Paul’s attention was on the goal of eternity with Christ, not on the physical ever-changing world around him. In which he writes in verse 3:13b: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.” We can see through his writings that his joy, attention and focus is on God, and on the work he’s doing here on Earth.
So amidst political and cultural change, amidst death and suffering, amidst trials and hardships; let’s find the words that Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 as an encouragement:
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Everything around us is fleeting and temporary. There will come a time that we will pass away from this world, but we have a greater hope of an eternity with Christ in Heaven sharing in his Glory. So, let’s cast our minds to our God knowing that no matter how much the world around us changes, our God remains the same and true to his promises.
Lastly, on that note, as the British Prime Minister said ‘God save the King’, how about we take a moment this week to pray for the new King, and that he will come to saving faith in Christ.
Grace & peace,
Rob Clow
eNews - 9th September 2022