So far, this autumn has been fairly mild. We have had some rain, buy most days have been fairly clear. Usually, we associate autumn with mists and cold morning starts. Maybe they will come in November? One thing I really do not like doing is driving in mist and fog. I have experienced some very scary journeys in such conditions. The issue is that, if we cannot see the road ahead, we cannot prepare ourselves for what it will bring. Each twist and turn meets us as a surprise and any hazard only appears to us at the last minute.
At the moment, I feel like we are all in a bit of a fog. We do not know what the future will bring or even when the mist that has descended at present will clear. Each week, things change. Spring seems a long way away. All of this breeds a level of anxiety and insecurity and I am sure all of us, during the present period, have experienced good days and bad days as a result.
There is one thing that is certain, however, and that is that God holds our futures in his hand, whether that be for us as individuals, or as a church. He knows the end from the beginning and none of this surprised him or caught him unawares. Our trust is not in governments or councils, or even in the NHS. Our trust for the future must be in God and in Him alone, for there is no firmer anchor to help us hold steady than him!