As temperatures drop and we enjoy a burst of dry and crispy winter, the beauty of the world around us has re-emerged. After a year of blustery wind and soggy rain, the sunshine is very welcome. Sunlight is such an important thing for us. It can lift our spirits, improve our mood, even help our health! I’m sure you have been making the most of it.

As a 12-year-old, Jesus was taken to Jerusalem for a Festival. His first visit to the big city since infancy. We can only imagine the sights that greeted Him, the sounds that assaulted Him, the smells that filled the air at that busy time. So much to see, hear and enjoy, yet He chose to go to the Temple courts and listen to the Rabbis and Teachers of the Law discussing their faith.

For Jesus, the life-changing light was not in the sights and sounds but in the living Word of God as it was being explored by those who love it.

Just as sunshine can make a difference to us in so many ways, so can meeting with God in His Word. Listening to others’ experience of Him, asking questions of those with more wisdom, meeting together to deepen our faith. As our understanding of God and His ways increases so our faith becomes more resilient, more focussed, more steady.

God Bless,

rev mark RS smith