Thoughts on Abigail and Barney

I was slightly amused (and bemused) to discover that a decision has been taken to give names to significant storms which appear from time to time in the UK.  Apparently the names have been chosen following a public vote; the intention is to help raise awareness of severe weather when storms are due, and to encourage people to act to protect themselves.  The storms will be named in alphabetical order as they arrive; personally, I am anticipating 'Steve'! 

Though the first two named storms, 'Abigail' and 'Barney', have hardly compared in scale and ferocity with the hurricanes and storms which have been experienced in some parts of the world, they have nevertheless caused damage and disruption, and significant numbers of householders found themselves temporarily without power.  My daughter and son-in-law woke this morning to discover that their greenhouse was in next door's garden, thanks to Barney!

This has put me in mind of the hymn "Rock of Ages", written in 1763 by the wonderfully named Augustus Montague Toplady.  Tradition has it that the hymn was inspired by an incident in the gorge of Burrington Combe in the Mendip Hills.  The story goes that Toplady was travelling along the gorge when he was caught in an (unnamed!) violent storm.  He found shelter in a gap in the gorge, and thus came the first words of the hymn: "Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee" (referring to security found in God).

The events of the past week, with horrific and deathly terrorist attacks in both Beirut and Paris, have reminded us (if such was needed) of the violent and uncertain times in which we live.  Many have called for an immediate and strong response, though I really do wonder whether responding with yet more bombs etc. will only add further to the ongoing cycle of violence and bloodshed, in which so many innocent people get caught.

For many people, life is filled with fear, uncertainty and anxiety.  It appears as though we are caught in a vicious storm, and we wonder where we can run to safety.  It seems to me that Augustus Toplady's hymn, though written over 250 years ago and in somewhat antiquated language, nevertheless has a message of real hope.  True and lasting security can be found in God alone.  Toplady died at the relatively young age of 38.  By all accounts his last hours, as he lay on his deathbed, were filled with an amazing assurance of God's presence, and faith that he (Toplady) was safe eternally in God's hands.

As St Paul wrote in his letter to Christians in Rome, who were experiencing times of great persecution, 'There is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.'  That's what I call real security!

Learning the lessons of history

In 1996 the tradition of holding an Act of Remembrance on 11 November each year (as well as on Remembrance Sunday) was reinstated in the village of Glenfield, where I live.  This takes place at the War Memorial which is situated in the grounds of the local Parish Church of St Peter’s.  The Rector of St Peter’s retired a few months ago, and as the church is still awaiting the arrival of a new Rector, I was asked to lead the service.

One of the difficulties associated with observing the two minutes’ silence is in trying to arrange the service so that the silence falls at the correct time of 11am.  It was especially important at St Peter’s, as the church clock strikes on the hour.  I was hugely relieved, therefore, when within a couple of seconds of the bugler finishing his rendition of the "Last Post", the clock began to strike 11.  It was a poignant moment.

Research undertaken by the Royal British Legion suggests that there are still considerable numbers, particularly of younger people, who do not realise the significance of Armistice Day; that it was on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 that the guns of Europe fell silent.  After four years of bitter fighting, The Great War was finally over.  The following year King George V issued a proclamation which called for a two minute silence at 11am on 11th November, and Acts of Remembrance were conducted throughout Britain and the Commonwealth.  It came to symbolise the end of the war and provide an opportunity to remember all those who had died

In cities, towns and villages up and down the country, memorials such as the one at St Peter’s were created to commemorate the sacrifice of those local people who lost their lives.  Such memorials usually have inscribed upon them a list of the names of those who died.  To some, the memorials may appear simply that: a list of names.  In reality, each name represents a family torn apart, a precious life lost, hopes and dreams brought to a premature end.

There are some who say that human beings have no need of God and that we can manage perfectly well on our own.  It seems to me that one only has to look around the world today and see what horrors we continue to inflict on one another to see how false that idea is.  Wars still go on; men and women still engage in untold violence; injustice and oppression continue.  It is right to give thanks for those who gave their lives for others, but we must not let their sacrifice be in vain.  Let us learn the lessons of history.

On Remembrance Sunday I put a verse from the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah on my Facebook page:

'He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into ploughshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war any more.' Isaiah 2:4

A friend commented: “May it be soon.”  To that I say: Amen!

Completing the circle

Two totally different thoughts have been going round in my mind recently and, perhaps surprisingly, connecting.  The first relates to the AntiVirus programme which I use on my laptop, AVG.  AVG offer a free version of their AntiVirus programme which can easily be downloaded.  It's probably not the most effective AntiVirus software available, but it rates fairly well in comparisons with other similar software, and what's more, it's free!

I recently updated my Antivirus and as I was waiting for the process to be completed I noted that on the screen of my laptop there was an AVG diagram with the headline "An Incomplete Circle."  Its purpose was to remind me that although AVG Free does offer a good level of protection, it is only if I upgraded to the full version (which, of course, involved a cost), that I would be fully protected!

The other subject of my reflections is a book which I have recently begun to read.  The author is Phillip Keller, and the title of the book is "A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23."  Keller worked at one time as a shepherd, and although I haven't yet got all that far into the book, already I have found some of his insights into the life of the shepherd and the relationship between shepherd and sheep extremely interesting.

Jesus said of himself, 'I am the Good Shepherd,' and Keller teases out some of the depths of meaning in that saying.  Of course, one of the main responsibilities of the shepherd is to take care of and protect the sheep under his care (can you see where this is leading?)  Also, and very significantly, Jesus stated, 'I am the the gate for the sheep.'  Jesus' first listeners would know exactly what he meant.  At night time the shepherd would lead the sheep into a pen, perhaps made up of rocks piled on top of one another.  There would be no gate, so the shepherd would himself lay across the entrance to the pen, thus providing all the protection the sheep required from wild animals etc.  In other words, he would complete the circle.

If we have put our lives into the hands of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, then we can rest assured that we are safe in his keeping.  And that's so good to know.