Rector's monthly letter

Choices

The Lent course this year focused on the Old Testament book of Ruth. Tucked away at the beginning of the Bible, just after the awesome book of Judges, is Ruth, a heart warming story of famine, death, separation and loyalty, but which ends with a perfect romance, a marriage and a direct line to Jesus. The book of Ruth starts as a study of the choices that confront us as humans each day of the week. 

Someone once said that it is not the chances we take that determine the course of our lives but the choices we make. As we considered the choices that Ruth and her relatives had to make, and as we swapped famine for war and economic and political persecution, we realised just what a contemporary message the book of Ruth had for us all. Choices we make as individuals so often have a longstanding effect on others. The impact of the choices we make about our life partners and occupations live with us throughout our lives.

We might also ask whether it is possible to make choices in this life which will affect the direction of our eternal lives? Joshua said to the Hebrew people he led, “Choose you this day who you will serve”. We know that decisions we make in our secular lives often influence our mental and spiritual lives. But can the choices we make now affect our eternal destiny?

Jesus said to Nicodemus (John 3), “I tell you the truth. No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

As a benefice, we will soon be making choices about a new vicar to lead us. It may not be obvious who that person should be and so we need to be listening to God to perceive the person of his choosing.

Samuel, the great prophet, was given the task of finding, identifying and then anointing the new king of Israel who would be a forebear of Jesus himself. He was led to visit Jesse, a noble man with eight sons, all of whom might have fitted the bill as a potential king. Samuel had to meet all eight sons before realising that David, the youngest and thereby the least qualified, was the person who God had chosen as their leader. And what a leader he became. Yes, David made mistakes, but he understood his people and listened to God when he needed guidance as to the way forward.

Do pray with us that the person of God’s choosing will be appointed as our new vicar.

Rev. Dr. John Rennie