JANUARY 2021 E H T TMONTRHLY PUBLEICATIONA of the PSRESBYTEURIAN CHURRCH of YWALES
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JANUARY 2021 e h t TMONTRHLY PUBLEICATIONA OF THE PSRESBYTEURIAN CHURRCH OF YWALES so that he declares in verse 10 that God has failed. This year has been horrendous. It’s been lonely, it has provoked anxiety. It has left us in mourning. And in that honest confession, let Psalm 77 be a Godsend to you. It’s your permission slip to cry and mourn, and rage and groan. But let it also be your pathway out of the darkness. Asaph is very wise. Somehow from the depths of darkness he decides to look to the light. So he looks back, back before his own disasters. Back before his A New Year has come life began and he tells himself the story of how God rescued Israel from Egypt. A salvation story based on a covenant promise. God loved his people and God is still King and did everything he needed to to rescue them from darkness and bring them into peace. by Jonathan Hodgins What if, in that same service forgotten me. God has failed That’s a wonderful model to someone started crying. Almost me.” us of Christian thinking. So 2020 did its worst and we imperceptibly at first, but then How would you feel? I think I At the end of 2020, a year of begin the new year with a lot growing in volume and emotion. would feel angry. I would feel upheaval, loneliness and more trepidation than we did I suppose we would all be like that was an attack on our depression when we might feel last January. Our church embarrassed (I know I would God, whom we love. An attack like groaning, wailing and buildings which have been, to be), but knowing the folk at your on His character and His asking where is God, the best all intents and purposes, closed church somebody would come thing we can do is to go back to for nearly a year will soon be to comfort them. An arm on the first principles. opening again and it won’t be shoulder, a tissue in the hand. Jesus has come into our too long before people walk Somebody would get a glass of through the black iron gates water, another would offer a world because He loves you. He once again, past the familiar consoling word. But what if the has broken the power that sin in grave stones, up that little person kept weeping and all its forms has over you, and winding path to the foyer, giving wailing, pushing help away? He has driven away the a shove at the door, and coming I suspect we could deal with darkness by His death on the in again to spend time together the groaning. I hope we would cross. In H is resurrection He with God. be compassionate to the has shown His immense power Imagine being there. Masks in mourner. But what about this? over death and given hope fo pockets, hymn books open and Imagine that person sitting in this life and in H is ascension He ready to sing. Won’t it be your church building, first has promised that He will come wonderful? But imagine if, as service back. This is the place back again. Jonathan Hodgins the minister with head bowed of memories for you. Site of so So after the year we’ve had and eyes closed began to pray, many happy and blessed times. it’s more than acceptable to be one of the congregation gave A place where you’ve sung and commitment. A character an Asaph. Groan and weep at out a loud, long, unmistakable prayed and laughed and assassination in His own home. the end of 2020, but don’t doubt groan. mourned with people you call Yes, I think I would be angry. God. If you’re honest you’d have to your friends. That place is But those outbursts – the A new year is coming and say it would probably make you important to you. It’s a place of groaning the weeping and the God is still King! giggle. It would be so baptisms and testimonies, public rejection –have all taken unexpected; you would probably encouragements and place. Not in your church or Revd Jonathan Hodgins is laugh out of shock like the time challenges. mine, not in your lifetime or Associate Editor of ‘the my sister heard someone Now imagine that someone mine, but in Psalm 77. Asaph Treasury’. reading the Bible and leapt up in the middle of that the author gives a powerful mispronounce Judas as Nude- community and shouted out account of how deeply Photo: The Clwydian Range in us. “God has changed. God has despondent he gets, so much winter. Moderator, and Brian, the Chair of the Trustees, that they would The weeks ahead will know God’s grace and mercy as they lead. Pray for our Ministers, Elders and workers. As Paul sought the prayers of the be the hardest yet Church in Ephesus, we also pray. ‘ To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making (Boris Johnson) supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to It is yet a day of Grace proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I (Meirion Morris) may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Eph 6:18-20 Pray also for those who administer within by Meirion Morris light for revelation to the Lord Jesus, the One who was the Connexion. It is said of Gentiles, and for glory to your foretold, the One who came, Joseph on becoming an As we give thanks to God at the people Israel. Luke 2: 30-32 . who humbled himself, the One administrator in Egypt “Can we beginning of this new year, we To think that the One who holds who died, rose and reigns. If all find a man like this, in whom is do so with a realisation that all all things in His hands, that about us is uncertain, if we are the Spirit of God?” Gen esis we have and are bear witness to holds all of creation, that holds unable to foretell what these 41:38 the God who gives all good us in His arms, is here being days, weeks and months may It is yet a day of Grace. I pray things to us. As we have held in Simeon’s arms. Consider bring, there is a certainty in this we might this time wisely, giving reflected on the events of that the wonder of this incarnation, Person. Thanks be to God for a reason to all who ask for the first Christmas, I was particularly the mercy of our God again – ‘… his inexpressible gift! 2 Cor 9: 15 hope that is within us, that hope struck by the way that Simeon he took him up in his arms... With this in mind I would ask which cannot be diminished. and Anna are included in the Luke 2:28 . Like Anna, we that you use this time to be ‘But I am not ashamed, for I narrative. You will remember cannot but – ‘…give thanks to praying as individuals for our know whom I have believed, and that both these aged saints were God and to speak of him to all churches, our leaders and for all I am convinced that he is able to ones who are described as who were waiting for the who seek to discern God’s will at guard until that day what has eagerly awaiting the coming of redemption of Jerusalem. this time. Specifically, pray for been entrusted to me. 2 Timothy God’s Messiah. There is a holy Luke 2: 38. God’s people, that through 1: 12. contentment in that phrase It is no small thing for us to be endurance and through the ‘…. for my eyes have seen your able to venture into this new encouragement of the Scriptures Meirion Morris is General salvation that you have prepared year with a new view of the we might have hope Romans Secretary of the Presbyterian in the presence of all peoples, a richness of the person of our 15: 4. Pray for Marcus, our Church of Wales Providing and Director) conducted training Langham Partnership: encouraging good seminars in Latin America. Now literature hundreds of training sessions are held each year across the Biblically Equipping the Langham Literature supplies world, with a deep emphasis on thousands of Bible-centred building up indigenous trainers. Global Church books to hundreds of Majority World colleges each year. Strengthening Get involved Many churches outside the Publisher grants also theological western world are growing enable indigenous publishers to To find out more about education rapidly in number, but there is a produce local language titles. Langham, visit uk.langham.org critical shortage of Biblical Langham’s landmark one- and sign up to receive the When John Stott was rector at eaders and resources. They volume Bible commentaries monthly Prayer Guide and All Souls Langham Place, may also be under pressure have blessed many believers news email (eNews). London, he founded the due to poverty and persecution. by bringing together Langham Trust to fund Langham Partnership was theologians who speak into scholarships for young founded by John Stott fifty their own context. The Africa evangelical leaders from the years ago. It exists to build up Bible Commentary in 2006 Majority World. the global church, equipping a sparked the publication of This is now the ‘ Langham new generation of Bible commentaries for South Asia, Scholars ’ programme.