A Rock in a world of confusion

 I suspect that like me these last months have seemed like a sea of shifting sand. Different countries, even different parts of countries approaching this virus pandemic in different ways. In The UK we have England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales all taking slightly different approaches - perhaps a foretaste of what things will be like if and when some get independence? Each claim to be following the science, the mantra of the post modern world? Because politicians don't want the blame for any bad or wrong choices, its all down to the science. Yet the scientific community does not have all of the answers, there are different views on how it spreads, how isolated folks should be, heard immunity and so on.

The plethora of rules, regulations, guidelines and such is truly mind boggling and as a church minister it has proven both time consuming and difficult to navigate through it all, especially when we consider opening the church for limited congregations.

Jesus told a parable about building our houses on sand or rock. And yes I know he was talking about faith. The question of what we have faith in is very relevant to the situation. My faith in Jesus has helped me to stand firm in this uncharted time. It helps me to take a more considered look at how to respond and how to get involved. For many of the world their faith in human endeavour and has been shown to be flawed, science is not the universal panacea, governments are flawed and make mistakes, the worlds economy lives on a foundation of sand, which it seems is very easily moved.

What has caused me even more thought is how easily the world economy can be pushed into melt down by a little virus. Perhaps it speaks to us about the fragility of the systems that we hold so firmly to? In the area in which I live I have been pleased at the response of people to giving up time to help others. Ensuring that those who have to shield etc still get their medication, shopping and a phone call to cheer them up.

I wonder if the real problem that this virus highlights relates to our ways of life. Is our travelling the globe with relative ease, our desire to do as we want, often without regard for the impact on the ecology of the planet or others, now getting some payback? It seems to me that some things are going to have to change or this has every chance to become a regular problem.