Every month seems to come round quicker and quicker! Here we are in the month of Remembrance once again. Thinking about the Gunpowder plot, laying explosives under the Houses of Parliament, resonates with what is going on in Gaza as I write this. The tunnels packed with weaponry by Hamas under innocent buildings with people going about their daily life above, unaware of the threat beneath them. There is nothing new under the sun.
Remembering those involved in conflicts past and present as combatants or innocent bystanders serves an important function in society. We are grateful and thankful for our survival and freedom. We hopefully learn lessons of diplomacy and peace making. We value life and those we love. We promise to ourselves that we won’t let it happen again.
Re-membering puts us together again when we are broken. It’s what we do when we are shattered – after a bereavement or loss, we spend time re-membering. It’s comforting to look back and see events in perspective – to see how it all fitted together; how one event led to another in our lives, making us into the people we have become. Sometimes it’s the smallest of things – the comment, the phone call, the missed appointment, the smile – that led to the lifelong relationships. And when we consider those memories, deep down we know those little details weren’t coincidences. God was there.
Allegedly it was a phrase in an anonymous letter that alerted the authorities to the Gunpowder plot and saw the arrest of Guy Fawkes. If that hadn’t been spotted, who’s to say what 5th November would represent now, maybe something reminiscent of 7th October 2023 for the Jewish people.
We often think we can’t do much – we’re just ordinary people. God can use the little things to make a difference, to change lives, to change history.
Open yourself up to God – ask Him to use you today to accomplish His purposes and change the world.