The Tribune

By Rev Angela C Bosfield Palacious

“For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.” (Psalm 48:14 NIV)

This is both a promise for the future and a real experience for us now. We may feel lost in the darkness of these crime-ridden days but the light has come for such a time as this. We have to trust God to bring us safely through this time of spiritual drought and famine. We who know the power of God’s grace and have the light of Christ within us must be the source of hope for our people.

It is for us to be like Solomon and pray: “Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So, give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong” (1 Kings 3: 8-9 NIV). We are called to be the moral and spiritual leaders of this nation, as we influence people in our various positions. For this, we must have a discerning heart, that is, a heart of wisdom.

Can you imagine if we were to pray every day as in 3 John 2 (NIV): “I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” This is what we should be wanting for each other: health in body, mind and spirit. What a blessing it would be to be able to celebrate: “It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth” (3 John 3 NIV)

We are truly at a crossroad now. Where do we go from here? How do we heal the wounds that have festered? How do we control anger that is so out of control? How do we help ourselves to get out of the state in which we find ourselves?

We have to learn how to truly love and how to teach this by explanation and example. We have to reach out and care for our children while they are children, before they become adults without consciences. We have to refuse to support criminal behaviour in any way. We cannot benefit from stolen goods, cover up the truth, or be associated with illegal drugs at any level.

Now is the time to turn to the Lord for guidance. We seem to be at our wit’s end when it comes to having a common mind about solutions. It is time to be still and know that there is a God, and that our God has answers for us: “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” (Psalm 46:7-11 NIV).

As we celebrate another year, let us ask the Lord to make us new. Let us ask the Lord to bless us and keep us, making us strong and of good courage to face whatever the future brings, secure in the knowledge of God’s love. Let us repent of our failings, confess our sins, and embrace a new life. This is an excellent time for light to truly shine. It is when it is darkest that light can shine at its brightest. Shine on!

• Rev Angela Palacious, a motivational speaker and author of several devotional books, is an Anglican priest. She may be contacted at 393-9000 or by e-mail at angelapalacious@gmail.com.