Humanity
What an unbelievable week it’s been in lockdown Britain! We got a letter from the Prime Minister telling us to stay at home. The Queen spoke to the nation and encouraged us to unite and ended by saying ‘we shall meet again’. Fuel prices have dropped to the lowest level in decades, but we will not see the benefit. The Spring weather has turned warm but the police are stopping people in public places and telling them to go home. And then the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, was admitted to hospital with coronavirus!
Along with all that, I have seen something happening which is quite remarkable. Since Mr Johnson was admitted to hospital there has been a wave of love, prayer and support for him. He is no longer seen as politician, a Conservative or the Prime Minister, but as vulnerable person who is ill.
This pandemic is doing something strange in our nation! Even though we are isolating and distancing physically, we are becoming closer as humans. When I have been out on my ‘allowed exercise’, people are more friendly, from 2 metres away! We care more. We are thinking about each other more, especially the elderly and vulnerable. I believe this is something close to God’s heart.
We are also approaching the biggest weekend in the Christian calendar...Easter! This week focuses on the last few days of Jesus’ life on earth. Jesus was (and is) God who became a man. The Bible puts it like this...
“So the Word (Jesus) became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.”
To put it another way, God clothed himself in humanity in Jesus - flesh and blood like us! In these darkest of times we are witnessing what feels like a fresh awareness of our humanity. To me this is fabulous, seeing people re-prioritising what is important in life.
But Easter reminds of something more! Jesus became a man with the goal of restoring all humanity to Father God. This Sunday over a third of the earth’s population, who are Christians, will be celebrating Easter: the connection of God with humanity restored!
In these difficult days, we have seen people changing, caring and reconnecting with others. This Easter let me encourage you to seek and reconnect to God too!
Stay safe
God bless
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader