Dear Church Family.

"At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, the guns fell silent."

Today is Armistice Day. It is a poignant moment of reflection and prayer. It is not a celebration of war, but a remembrance of it's cost, it's pain and it's loss, a remembrance of those who gave up their lives for others. 

The Christian Faith is not unfamiliar with sacrfice nor death for another, even death on a cross. As we approach 11 o'clock this morning, or at times throughout the day, perhaps we can pause to remember in the following ways...

  • Remember those who have lost their life in war, and pray for those who still feel the loss.
  • Remember those who carry life changing injuries - physical and mental, and pray for peace, healing and grace.
  • Remember those who currently live or serve in places of war, and pray for an end to their war, an end that establishes peace and justice.
  • Remember what has been given by others for our sake, and pray, with thankfulness, that we will live our lives in love for the other.
  • Remember the sacrifice of Christ, who knows the depths of pain and sorrow, sacrifice and death - remember that by His stripes we are healed, by His blood we are forgiven, by His death we find life. 

As we pray, let us also remember what God has spoken through the prophet Micah in Micah 4:1-5:  

In the last days,

the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
    as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
    and peoples will stream to it.

2 Many nations will come and say,

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
    so that we may walk in his paths.’
The law will go out from Zion,
    the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He will judge between many peoples
    and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
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.
4 Everyone will sit under their own vine
    and under their own fig-tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
    for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
5 All the nations may walk
    in the name of their gods,
but we will walk in the name of the Lord
    our God for ever and ever.

 

As we remember, so we also pray...

"Lord, let Your Kingdom come and Your Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. Amen."

Grace and Peace

Ian.