Ocean Grave                   Word on the Week                     24^th June 2023.

This week tragedy befell the submersible, Ocean Gate, when it imploded deep under the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.   Sadly, for the brave passengers, their expedition to the hulk of the Titanic was cut short with the loss of all on board.  

They understood the risks.   Indeed, it was partly the risks which drew them into the expedition.   The submersible had been there twice before.   As they signed the waiver (relieving others of responsibility) the high octane thrill of risk would have coursed through their veins.

Mountaineers know all about it as indeed do those ground breaking astronauts who hitch a ride on a rocket to outer space.    But while we have conquered mountains and somewhat conquered space, the ocean depth is proving more challenging for the present.

Not that there is a lot to see down there!   The expedition was bound for the wreck of the Titanic, itself a graveyard for many of its passengers and crew. One theory is that the previous trips had weakened the carbon fibre hull which collapsed under the extreme pressure of the ocean depth.   In true adventurer fashion the man who warned against repeated use of the craft was fired and further testing dispensed with!

But those who perished were by no means the first to ignore lifesaving advice.   The Bible tells us of one, Jesus, who descended from heaven to the lower earthly regions on a rescue mission – that the Gospel may be known through all the earth (Ephesians 4 verse 9).

He also knew what it was like to have good advice ignored by those who should have known better (St John 5 verses 36 to 40).   It’s not knowledge that we lack, it is the recognition that we can do nothing on our own.   We are dependent on our ‘mother ship’ not the Polar Prince but the Lord Jesus Christ.

We learn that the submersible lost contact with the mother ship when they descended into the abyss.   The Bible, referring to fruitful lives, states that without Jesus we can do nothing (St John 15 verse 5).   When we stop praying and reading the Bible we so easily lose contact with Jesus and imagine we can handle things on our own.

‘Light of the world You stepped down into darkness
Open my eyes let me see
Beauty that made this heart adore you
Hope of a life spent with you.’

Chris Tomlin’s song is a prayer for that communication which is the Christians life.   By faith in Jesus it can be yours.

Pride Month                     Word on the Week                     17^th June 2023.

Indicative of the long way the LGBT community have come in Ireland is the fact of June being designated as their month.   It is interesting to see the name ‘pride’ has been adopted to give those involved a feeling of self-worth.

Perhaps it has been lacking in the past where members of the LGBT have tended to be looked down upon by Cisgender people.   Cisgender is the term applied to those who have retained the gender assigned to them at birth. 

There is no doubt that the sexual revolution of recent years has forced some rethinking of issues previously put on the long finger.    The bizarre dress code of a Gay Parade is not so much a cry for help as a demand to be noticed and accepted – without trying to change them.

Previously acceptance was on traditional lines as LGBT people endured the difficulties of being part of our Christianised society but now with the fair wind of secularism at their backs those difficulties are disappearing as laws are changed to accommodate them.

The appearance of the rainbow flag of the community in many public and commercial places shows how much progress has been made in their ideology becoming accepted.   Before the Covid closedown, four years ago, 60,000 were attending the Dublin Gay Parade.   Next Saturday’s event in the city will probably exceed that number.

When the Apostle Paul was at Athens he was greatly distressed to see the city full of idols.   His reaction was to preach in the market place the good news of Jesus and the resurrection (Acts 17 verse16 to 31).  The good news was that Jesus the Son of God had shed his blood for sinner’s redemption (Romans 5 verse 8).  

The resurrection means that no matter how broken we are, LGBT or Cisgender alike, one day we can stand complete in Christ.    As the Apostle Peter puts it Jesus gives us new birth into a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1 verse 3).

The gospel does not offer us a change of gender but a new birth.   This is not tinkering with our humanity but recognising that it’s the heart it is the source of our troubles.   Jesus said out of the heart come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, pride and folly (St Mark 7 verse 20).   That’s why we need a new birth.

And it’s available on placing your trust in Jesus.

It’s an Ill Weather                   Word on the Week                         3^rd June 2023.

It’s an ill weather, (or is it wind?) that does nobody any good!   Like underachieving children our Government makes climate promises which go unfilled.  In this case the promises of a carbon-free future are not enough to focus our minds on the target of 51% reduction in carbon by 2030 which, according to the EPA, we do not look like we are going to meet.

According to our Central Statistics Office the economy is growing.   This should be encouraging news but the Environmental Protection Agency has warned that increased activity means increased carbon making our targets, which we are failing to meet, already too low!

Apparently most sectors have underperformed.   The EPA names the usual suspects; Agriculture, Industry, Transport and Energy.   The two check points arise, one in 2025 and the other at the end of this period in 2030.  

If the measures already agreed were put in place, we may only have a small amount of carbon credits to buy from Nations who have a surplus.   On the other hand, if we continue as we are going, which is in the wrong direction, the cost could be very considerable.

It is not all bad news however.   The rising temperatures in the rest of Europe is making the climate unbearable in mid-summer.   We can expect tourists from the hotter parts to head for the more temperate regions, perhaps coming to our shores for their holidays!

There is a recurring video used by our Television suppliers of a cliff, composed of ice and snow, spectacularly collapsing into the sea.   It graphically represents the thawing of the ice cap at the North pole.   It is shown as a reminder of the loss of land to the sea in the arctic and is already encroaching upon citizens of poorer countries globally who live at the coast.

Do I hear someone say, “It’s not the end of the world” – no, it’s coming and in the meantime we have a moral duty to care for those who lose their home from rising tides.    They become someone’s refugees.

Unlike us, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise as some understand slowness.   He is patient with us not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3 verse 9).  We are told that the end will be fire not water so we are not there yet!   We are asked to live holy and godly lives as we look forward to the day of the Lord and speed its coming (verses 11/12)