Words by David Hollows
From the kitchen window – Imagine
John Lennon sang the famous song, ‘Imagine’ which reflected on the possibility of our world and how it could be rather than as it was at the time when the song was written.
So, how do you imagine your life following the current life-changes imposed on us by the Covid-19 virus?
What does your future look like for you in the short and medium term?
For most of us, hopefully the return to ‘normal’ will include the freedoms to renew our relationships with those members of our families and in our friendship circles which have been curtailed, we will have the opportunity to hug our grandchildren or have a coffee in a local cafe with our friends, we will be able to shop without wearing a mask.
In the long term, we may consider the holiday we had postponed or the health operation which had been cancelled but which will make a big difference when completed to the quality of our life. We may be able to attend a wedding which was delayed or celebrate other key events which could not take place as we had planned. The return to routine and a familiar pattern of life will be welcomed by most of us.
The reflections above are bespoke to you and your personal lifestyle. So, now try to imagine what a post Covid-19 world would look like to you?
Will there be the shopping outlets and eateries you expect to find on a typical high street?
Do you hope for settled and successful careers and job security for members of your family rather than rising unemployment and rising redundancies?
Do you look forward to face-to-face interaction rather than automotive telephone messages, conversations with your GP on the phone and an end to Zoom?
Will your world include a return to quality full-time education for pupils and students alike?
Would you anticipate the current massive national debt being quickly reduced in order to avoid future generations having this debt looming over them for many years to come?
Photo by Jason Wong via Unsplash
What do you imagine for the world stage?
Would you consider that it is essential for all refugees and internally displaced people to be able to return to their own countries and homes to start again?
Would you anticipate an end to conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan?
Would you hope for political stability in Hong Kong, Myanmar and Belarus?
Would you consider that peace between nations in the Middle East as well as religious groups in South-east Asia as all being essential for our world?
In your imaginings, how would you configure the issue of global warming and climate change?
Could you imagine thousands of Christians returning to countries such as Syria, Iraq and Iran and the impact of this return not just for the individual countries but across that whole region as God uses His people to impact the politics and social outcomes for many millions.
That there is strong Christian leadership for the many African and South American countries, a leadership which rejects political corruption and prioritises those in poverty and facing social injustices.
In the Bible Jeremiah, the prophet, gives us these words from God: ‘For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.’ (Jeremiah chapter 29 verse 11).
Now, try to imagine God’s perspective for our world:
He wants to bring healing to all nations that through restored relationships there will be mutual respect, support and co-operation. He wants to bring peace which will allow for people to accept and value the traditions and cultures of others in order to end all conflicts, injustice and oppression. He wants to encourage the sharing and caring across all communities, ethnic groupings and nations that loving our neighbour through acts of kindness becomes the norm. He wants to extend His Kingdom here on earth as more and more of us live our lives the Jesus-way.
Can you imagine such a world?
It has been said that people don’t care what you know until they know that you care and caring is part of the Christian DNA.
So, what is our actual role in all of this imagining?
Do we see you role as simply realising the imaginings for ourselves and immediate loved ones?
Hopefully not because, as believers, God calls us to be His ambassadors in a world for which Jesus died and rose again in order to restore the world peoples to God.
Therefore God calls us to:
pray for spiritual growth in the lives of those we know and love but who are not yet followers of Jesus and for those in our world whose lives need to be turned the right way around by the Holy Spirit, support those who are persecuted for their relationship with Jesus in prayer, financial support and by sending messages of support, encourage the folks with whom we relate to consider the Christian faith and what Jesus has achieved for us and offers them, share the many resources we have from God with those He places into our lives to prove that we care, love extravagantly and unconditionally as God loves us and provides for us.
Now, can you imagine what a difference you can make in partnership with our God?
Please, continue to imagine.
You may find this hymn useful:
Sing we the King who is coming to reign (Mission Praise 602)
You may find this prayer helpful:
Loving God, we come to you wearied and appalled by the evil in the world,: the sights of injustice, oppression and abuse, the horrific sounds of warfare and the cries of the wounded and lost.
Loving God, we bring to you a world torn apart by cruelty, selfishness and hatred and we pray that in your love, all might be made one.
Loving God, we imagine the day when your Kingdom will encompass all the earth and all the nations will be at peace because you, our God, are at the very heart of every human life, thought, word and action. We pray that this day will come soon.
Amen
God bless you
Photo by Jim DiGritz via Unsplash
Signing off; your local Lay-worker, David Hollows