A Thought For The Week Of November 7, 2016

"Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom." (Psalm 45:6) I held off writing this until today, after we had found out the result of the presidential election in the United States. I'm a Canadian, of course, so in some ways that election had little to do with me. Except that we all live in God's world - and whatever happens in the lives of any of my neighbours also has some affect on me. It's been an ugly and brutal campaign (I don't think anyone would deny that.) And there have been a lot of almost apocalyptic predictions made by people on both sides of the divide. This is why I think it's important for Christians to step back from the fray, take a deep breath, and reflect on God. There is no doubt that human government and human powers can do a lot of damage and cause a lot of trouble. But let us never forget that ultimately this is God's world. The fear that has seemed to characterize much of this campaign (and that to some extent raised its head in the Canadian election campaign last year) is simply the result of sin. But for those who know and have experienced the love of God, we live with the certainty that "perfect love casts out fear," and even when things happen in the world around us that make us shake our heads, we need to remember that. In a vision from Jesus, Julian of Norwich is said to have received the following message: "It was necessary that there should be sin; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well." All shall be well. Why? Because, ultimately, God reigns. Because, ultimately, in the words of a hymn, "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun does its successive journeys run." Whatever leaders we may elect, we ourselves are the children of God, and unlike earthly kingdoms - which will all pass away - God's kingdom "will last forever and ever" - and it will be a kingdom of peace, love and justice.