As I was flipping through Facebook in the last couple of days, I realised that it was time for our kids to go back to school.
Some face it with joy and others with trembling. This joy and trembling applies equally to parents, and teachers as well.
I wondered, as I looked at the photos, where Jesus might be as children and teachers return to school and as parents say goodbye day by day as their kids go to school.
So, I went looking in the scriptures!
Many in the church would know that I am a bit of a fan of Paul the Apostle, not because the church in which I serve is named after him, but because Paul always seems to enter our lives and in doing so brings Jesus into our lives.
So that short sentence of scripture appealed to me as I contemplated the things happening with school kids around me.
Paul tells us something of the promise of God that we have through Jesus Christ.
Often it is times of adversity that bring us closer to God. So, the promise of God is that we will find strength through his Son Jesus Christ.
Paul knows that his strength does not come from himself, it comes from his trust and faith in the grace that God gives through Jesus.
For some, finding strength through Jesus comes easily, and I give thanks that so many in the town and surrounds find their strength in Christ.
But for others it is not so easy, but strength can be found in Christ.
To find Christ’s strength you might consider sitting in one of the local churches, maybe at the back, although I find that the back of churches can sometimes be crowded!
You might seek out a person who you know finds their strength in Christ and have a chat. They will welcome you!
You might join a fellowship group in the town, or a Bible Study.
Or you might even just sit and pray a simple prayer like the Lord’s Prayer. If you do any of those things, please hold on to the words of Paul … “I can do all things through him who strengthens me”.
~ Contributed by Fr Tim Fogo from St Paul’s Anglican Church, on behalf of the Combined Churches of Deniliquin.