Thought for the Week - 25th June 2023

Dear Friends, 

In my daily notes, Life with Lucas, we have been looking at the book of Proverbs over this last quarter beginning with the question, ‘how should we live?’ Jeff Lucas tells of an encounter with a taxi driver who ‘was lamenting some of the crazy ideas now commonly touted, and then he said, “The trouble is – we just think we’re so clever and sophisticated.”’ It is not hard, as we look around at the world today, to agree with this taxi driver’s wisdom is it. Just think about the varied ways in which people try to escape from the reality of life rather than face up to life’s struggles and problems. Alcohol, drugs, sex, power, fame and money are just some of the vices which can look tempting to begin with but actually only lead to more distress and misery. At the beginning of Proverbs we read, ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline’ (Proverbs 1:7). My daily notes say, ‘When we take God out of the picture, there is no picture – just a load of meaningless paint blotches. And this is not God the paramedic, ever on hand to help us out with our cuts and scrapes, or God the Santa impersonator, but God the holy one, the Creator who calls for our love, obedience and worship. We were made by God, for God. To know and live in that truth is the beginning of wisdom.’ 

Grace and peace,

Neil

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