All good things come to an end

From the regeneration of a favourite Doctor Who to the end of an empire to the end of the whole universe and life as we know it… all good things come to an end. Or so it seems.

As far as I know, the new season of Doctor Who won’t be Matt Smith’s last, but I did want to mention him in a post here. However, I did think that last week would be Colonel Gaddafi’s last as Libyan leader.

But he is still there, and there seems to be little change in the situation. Let’s pray that the situation is resolved quickly, peacefully and in the best interests for the Libyan people.

And last night I ended up feeling a little, ‘So that’s it?’ as I watched Wonders of the Universe. Dr Brian Cox, the Uk’s hip cosmologist, explained entropy and the out-working of the second law of thermodynamics, which basically means that eventually the universe will just fade away to nothing.

I know this will take an unfathomable amount of time, but there is something quite final about such a worn out end to things. Give him his due, he did try to promote the importance of living in the here and now and enjoying the marvel that is life, but even so…

This week’s WordLive covers the end of David’s reign as king of Israel. I wonder how the nation felt at the loss of David? Future generations certainly missed him and longed for a king like David, a messiah in fact.

Personally I think that the Messiah has already existed. And I believe that something exists beyond what is bound by entropy.

How’s your faith holding up?

Darren

We will remember them

This week in WordLive we follow Daniel as he comes under attack for his faith in God. His continued commitment to prayer, despite the very real risk of death it entailed, is a challenge to us all. What would we do if worshipping God in public meant putting our lives at risk?
This is a question Christians in Iraq are facing this week, following the recent attack on a Catholic church in Baghdad in which 52 worshippers were killed. As many as 60 per cent of the Iraqi Christian population have already been killed or fled the country since the invasion in 2003 and those remaining are now being warned to leave.

However, many are determined to stay ‘whatever the sacrifices, to bear witness to our faith’ (Ignatius Metti Metok, Syriac Catholic Bishop of Baghdad). A prominent Christian member of the Iraqi parliament, Yonadam Kanna, said, ‘This is our home, we have been together with Muslims for centuries, this is our destiny, and we will stay together’.

Daniel’s response to opposition in Babylon was to pray and keep trusting God, though it’s hard to imagine him not being terrified as he was thrown to the lions. This week, let’s remember in prayer those Christians living in constant fear in Iraq. And in Remembrance Week, let’s also pray for all the members of our armed forces who confront danger daily in order to protect our freedom.

Lizzie Evans

My favourite quote in a coming WordLive activity

What about Christians who are so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly use? Hebrews would regard them as freaks.

I am currently editing material for April on WordLive and the above extract brought a smile to my face. You'll be able to see the whole quote in context in a couple of months, but I thought I'd share it with you now.