Munud i feddwl: Gobaith

When I am watching television, I always look out for the adverts. I watch them and make judgments as to whether they are good. I have no experience in advertising, but I know what I like. There is an advert on the TV which really annoys me, I don’t know why. The advert is for cruise company. I should say now that I have nothing against the company in question, but in this advert, there is a voice speaking over a lot of pictures which asks, ‘what if you …, imagine if…., what dreams ?...’ To each of these an answer is given about all the good things that a cruise with the company would bring. The fact that it grabs my attention so much shows what good advertising it is.

The set of questions starts off by asking, ‘I wonder ….’ At the moment, there is a lot happening in the world with the situation in the Ukraine, a new prime minister here, cost of living, energy prices rising at an exorbitant rate, children back at school, or starting in college, and others joining the St.Padarn’s community.

It all causes me to wonder how things will look this time next year. Will the problems or worries of today have changed a lot ? When I think about the ‘what ifs’ and ‘I wonder’ then the thought that comes to me is the words of Jesus not to worry. (Matthew 6:34) This could sound a bit trite and simple, but I am encouraged by knowing that the ‘what ifs’ are ultimately in God’s hands.

This will not mean that all the worlds problems are sorted but that everything will be ok because we can turn to God. I can never know what the world will look like in a year's time. I can wonder as much as I like, but I can’t know for sure.

If I went on a cruise, which I am sure would be wonderful, would all the pictures on the advert be what it was like or might it all be even better ?

In the advert the pictures and scenes look amazing, and it is good to hope for wonderful things. In

Ephesians 3:20 we read,

“God can do anything,—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!” (Message translation).

This is even better than anything that can be advertised. It gives us a real hope that cannot be proved wrong. I am convinced, therefore, that all will be better and that any concerns of this year will be relieved as I remember to hope and know that with God it will all, somehow, and maybe in a way I can’t imagine now, be more than ok.

Parch. Helen Rees