WEBVTT

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 As we continue our series thinking about God's faithfulness, we think today particularly about God's faithfulness to his promises.

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 And we're given this image of an anchor, an anchor that holds a sense of steadiness, a sense of security,

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 that when we listen to the promises of God, that is the security, the strength in the midst of what can otherwise be a chaotic and disordered world that holds us steady.

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 With that image and the images of steadiness and being held and being stable and secure, we've got to be really careful with that image.

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 Because there can be a side to it that can be so profoundly misunderstood and indeed distorted.

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 And we think of God in terms of one where there's no change and where we might not change and where things just stay the same and are held.

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 That, if we're not careful, can be a distorted image.

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 Let me give you an example.

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 It was back in the 1990s when I was a youth worker.

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 Working in Billericay in South Essex.

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 And the church ran an open youth club on Friday night where young people could just drop in.

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 And I'd gone into a conversation with a girl, I guess she was about 13, 14 years old.

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 And she said, you work for the church then?

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 I said, yes, I do.

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 She said, so are you a Christian?

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 I said, yes, I am.

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 I said, are you a Christian?

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 She said, no, I'm not.

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 I said, can I ask why you're not a Christian?

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 And her answer, I'll never forget.

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 She didn't say any of the things that I quite thought she was going to say, which people would normally say why they don't believe in God.

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 But she said, I'm not a Christian because if you become a Christian, you can't do stuff.

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 In that young person's mind, being a follower of Jesus meant a whole list of prohibitions.

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 Life stops.

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 Comes to a halt.

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 You're kind of tied down.

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 You can't go anywhere.

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 You can't do anything.

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 You can't have any fun.

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 You can't live life fully.

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 All the things that, in fact, are the very opposite of what being a follower of Jesus is.

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 See, that's a distorted image of what it means to be anchored in hope.

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 See, to be a follower of Jesus doesn't really mean stop.

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 There's a sense in which it does.

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 And we might think a bit about that next week.

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 But it's more about go.

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 It's about being empowered.

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 When you encounter Jesus, it's transformative.

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 It's about being set free.

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 It's about release.

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 But in a world that is full of so much ongoing change and uncertainty and chaos and disorder and fear and anxiety,

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 we're all anchored to something.

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 The question is, what is it?

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 And to be anchored in this hope, this image that we're given, makes all the differences.

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 It says in Hebrews 6.19, we have this hope as an anchor for the soul.

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 Firm and secure.

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 You see, change happens.

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 It's a pile of life and there's nothing new in that.

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 Times change.

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 Culture changes.

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 Fashion changes.

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 Prices change.

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 Technology change.

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 Our bodies change.

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 Our health changes.

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 People change.

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 Change happens.

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 And in that midst of ongoing change, there's that permanent swelling around of flux.

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 And, you know, we long for some sense of security.

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 Some sense of continuity.

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 I think of the guy who, I'm told years ago, bought a radio.

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 One of the old ones with the, you know, the knobs that you turn.

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 And he got it home.

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 He tuned it into the radio station that he only ever listened to.

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 And pulled all the knobs off it.

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 We long for something that's going to give us that continuity.

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 To anchor on to something, which is the image that we're given in these words of Scripture,

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 is not about being tied down in a way that stops our freedom.

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 It's about being anchored onto someone who actually gives us that very freedom as part of the security that we long for in the midst of change.

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 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul.

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 Firm and secure.

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 So what I want us to think about over these next few minutes is what does that look like?

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 Let's just dig a bit deeper into what that might look and feel like.

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 Firstly, in terms of that sense of being anchored in the midst of waiting.

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 And secondly, what it means to be anchored in the midst of uncertainty.

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 Firstly, what about that waiting?

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 See, I mention this because I think it can be so much a part of our lives.

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 We're praying for God.

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 We're praying to God in the midst of change.

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 And we're waiting for an answer to prayer.

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 We're waiting for God to do stuff.

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 We're waiting for God to give us guidance in some way.

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 Perhaps we're waiting for God to heal.

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 We're waiting for God to step in and to change something.

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 And in the midst of all of that, to be anchored onto the promises of God in which he is faithful can make all the difference.

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 But we need to understand that properly.

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 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul.

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 Firm and secure.

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 What does it mean when we're anchored then to wait on God?

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 I think we need to be really careful how we understand what it means to wait on God.

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 That we anchor ourselves in hope on him.

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 But when we wait, it's not a passive waiting.

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 And there's the danger.

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 That when we say, oh, I'm going to commit this to God and now I'm going to step back and I'm just going to wait for him to do something.

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 We've got to be careful how we handle that.

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 Let me tell you a story.

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 In fact, I'm going to tell you a joke.

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 When I'm trying to get ready for sermons, I like to kind of trawl the internet for jokes.

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 And I like to put in words, you're like, you know, joke, God, then whatever the theme is.

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 And whenever there's a warning that comes up and says, you know, some people might find some of this content offensive.

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 That's where I tend to go.

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 Serious point.

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 Okay.

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 Because very often, the very reasons why people think that this is going to be offensive to Christians.

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 Is the very reason why as Christians we need to be offended.

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 Because sometimes it's only when people from outside of Christian faith actually flag up those contradictions that we don't see that we can finally see them.

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 So, I'm not going to apologise if anybody finds this offensive.

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 It's not rude.

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 But it's a story that, and it's a new one.

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 I've not, maybe you've heard it before, but it's a new one on me.

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 It's a story about two brothers.

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 One was a farmer, and the other was a vicar.

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 And the farmer was quite sad about the fact that his brother, who was a vicar, never came to visit him.

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 Well, after many years of having not seen his brother, one day he rocks up on the farm.

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 He's very excited about this, so the farmer takes his brother out on a tour of the farm.

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 And they're walking past a field.

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 And they see this, the farmer shows us this field, it's got loads of grain growing in it.

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 And he explains to his vicar brother how he's grown all of this grain himself,

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 and he's developed all these methods over the years, he's researched it.

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 And he says, I grow all of this grain by myself.

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 And his brother, with a very pious tone in his voice, says,

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 Oh yes, but with the Lord's help.

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 The farmer takes this as a little bit of a put down.

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 But they carry on their walk.

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 They come to a next field, and there's some really stunning looking cows grazing in the field.

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 So the farmer says, I've been breeding these for years, and I'm really proud of this herd.

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 I've bred them all myself.

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 Once again, his brother, in a really holier-than-thou tone, says,

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 Yes, but with God's help, of course.

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 Well, by now, the farmer's feeling quite insulted.

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 So they carry on the walk in silence.

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 Until, that is, they come to a field where there's just loads of weeds,

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 and thorns, and bushes growing, and it just looks a mess.

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 And the vicar says to his brother, what's going on in here?

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 The farmer says, this is where I let God get on with the farming all by himself.

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 In Scripture, what we see is the God who calls us into a relationship with him.

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 Right from the very beginning, when we are created in God's image,

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 God sets human beings in his image, in this world,

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 and creates us, designs us to work in partnership with him.

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 And if you like, in a simplified way, the Bible is a whole story,

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 a whole narrative of how that relationship goes wrong,

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 when we, as human beings, choose to do things outside of that relationship.

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 The danger for us as Christians is we can forget that.

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 And in the way that we quite rightly emphasize this idea of God's sovereignty,

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 I mean, we can't do stuff without God.

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 And God can do stuff without us.

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 But we can completely distort that,

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 such that we think that when it comes to praying to God,

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 and waiting on God, it means actually we do nothing.

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 To be anchored in a meaningful way in hope,

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 means yes, of course we accept God's ultimately, ultimately in power.

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 That's why we pray,

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 Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth in heaven,

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 as it is in heaven.

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 But, it's not a passive waiting.

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 To be anchored in God means that we are called to live in meaningful partnership with him.

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 To live on his strength.

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 But to be poised to be ready,

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 to step up, to step out,

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 and to live like we believe it.

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 As Martin Luther said hundreds of years ago,

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 I live as though Jesus Christ had been crucified yesterday,

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 had risen this morning,

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 and was coming again tomorrow.

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 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul,

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 firm and secure.

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 So that's about, you know,

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 waiting on God,

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 being anchored on him,

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 being in partnership with him,

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 knowing ultimately he's in control.

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 But what about the theme of uncertainty?

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 What does it mean to be anchored in him,

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 on him,

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 in the midst of the uncertainty of life,

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 where there are situations that we are praying about,

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 that we're living into,

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 that we're facing each day,

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 and we just long for some sense of clarity.

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 You know, trusting in God's faithfulness,

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 trusting in his promises,

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 when we cannot see the future,

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 is such a challenge.

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 What does that look like then,

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 to be anchored into his promises?

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 Florence Chadwick was an American swimmer.

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 She was particularly prominent during the 1950s.

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 She became the first woman,

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 to swim the English Channel,

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 in both directions.

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 She set many world records.

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 Interestingly, one of them,

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 she swam from Western Supermare,

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 to Panarth Head,

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 near Cardiff,

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 in a record time,

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 just over six hours.

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 But the story I want to share with you,

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 is a record that she set,

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 in 1952.

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 When she swam,

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 or attempted to swim,

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 from Catalina Island,

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 to the Californian coast.

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 To swim through shark-infested waters,

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 of some 26 miles.

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 Because of the sharks,

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 she was surrounded by boats.

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 She was flanked by boats,

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 ready to pull her out,

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 if she got into trouble.

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 And shortly after she started,

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 this 26-mile swim,

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 the fog descended,

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 such that you could not really see,

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 beyond where these boats were,

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 surrounding her.

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 She swam,

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 she swam,

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 she swam,

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 and eventually,

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 she was so exhausted,

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 she could not see anything,

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 because of the fog.

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 She said,

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 I think I'm going to need to stop.

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 But she decided to carry on,

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 and she swam for about another hour,

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 until eventually,

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 she was so exhausted,

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 she could do no more.

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 She could see,

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 barely beyond,

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 beyond,

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 the immediacy of these boats.

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 So she,

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 called,

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 one of the boats,

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 to come right up close,

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 and she was pulled out,

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 of the water.

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 Only when she was in the boat,

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 did she realise,

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 that she was only,

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 one mile away,

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 from the coast.

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 Two months later,

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 she got in the water again.

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 Strangely enough,

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 the fog,

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 descended again.

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 But this time,

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 she just kept going,

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 and kept going,

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 and kept going.

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 And for all the fog,

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 and the sharks,

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 she finished.

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 Afterwards,

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 she said,

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 she was asked,

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 what was the difference,

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 between your first,

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 and second attempt?

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 She said,

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 well,

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 not a lot,

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 in the sense of,

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 you know,

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 the circumstances,

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 were the same.

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 I couldn't see the land.

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 But the difference,

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 is second time round,

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 I kept that image,

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 in my head.

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 The coast,

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 was drawing near.

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 I love the way,

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 that the Living Bible,

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 paraphrases,

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 Job chapter 8,

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 when it says,

00:16:01.580 --> 00:16:03.600
 those who forget God,

00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:03.620
 those who forget God,

00:16:03.620 --> 00:16:06.040
 have no hope.

00:16:12.040 --> 00:16:13.160
 That image,

00:16:13.700 --> 00:16:16.060
 in our minds,

00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:18.759
 knowing that God is there,

00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:21.160
 even though we cannot see through the fog,

00:16:21.300 --> 00:16:22.139
 in our lives,

00:16:22.460 --> 00:16:23.300
 is transformative.

00:16:23.299 --> 00:16:24.000
 One last thing,

00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:28.120
 one last thing,

00:16:28.199 --> 00:16:28.899
 before we pray.

00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:33.699
 I've worked,

00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:35.099
 in ministry,

00:16:35.319 --> 00:16:35.939
 for the church,

00:16:36.019 --> 00:16:37.559
 for my entire working life.

00:16:40.839 --> 00:16:41.439
 Do you know,

00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:42.159
 what the thing is,

00:16:42.179 --> 00:16:43.699
 is that I've heard people say to me,

00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:45.599
 when I tell them,

00:16:45.719 --> 00:16:46.279
 what I do,

00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:48.599
 what the thing is,

00:16:48.599 --> 00:16:48.919
 is that,

00:16:49.459 --> 00:16:50.599
 probably looking back,

00:16:50.600 --> 00:16:51.139
 over the last,

00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:53.700
 25 plus years,

00:16:54.120 --> 00:16:55.800
 the thing that,

00:16:55.940 --> 00:16:57.540
 I hear people say to me,

00:16:57.940 --> 00:16:59.360
 more than anything else,

00:16:59.500 --> 00:17:00.420
 is their first response,

00:17:00.500 --> 00:17:01.659
 when we get into conversation,

00:17:01.759 --> 00:17:02.100
 what do you do,

00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:02.720
 I'm a minister.

00:17:03.180 --> 00:17:03.440
 Oh,

00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:06.360
 you'd be surprised.

00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:09.140
 I'll tell you what it's not,

00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:11.039
 although it is very often,

00:17:11.380 --> 00:17:11.660
 you know,

00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:13.299
 I'd have a pound every time,

00:17:13.400 --> 00:17:14.259
 in the run up to Christmas,

00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:15.160
 people say to me,

00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:16.360
 this is your busy time of year,

00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:16.900
 isn't it?

00:17:16.900 --> 00:17:21.320
 I'd be even wealthier,

00:17:21.560 --> 00:17:23.259
 if the same had happened,

00:17:23.300 --> 00:17:24.259
 every single time,

00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:25.620
 somebody said to me,

00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:25.880
 oh,

00:17:25.980 --> 00:17:26.780
 you lot only work,

00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:27.500
 one day a week,

00:17:27.560 --> 00:17:27.940
 don't you?

00:17:28.980 --> 00:17:30.280
 It's funnier every time.

00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:32.400
 No,

00:17:32.540 --> 00:17:33.720
 the thing that,

00:17:34.580 --> 00:17:37.259
 that I hear people say to me,

00:17:38.740 --> 00:17:40.340
 from all different walks of life,

00:17:40.420 --> 00:17:41.540
 and from different ages,

00:17:41.540 --> 00:17:42.340
 and backgrounds,

00:17:43.720 --> 00:17:44.220
 is this,

00:17:44.620 --> 00:17:45.940
 and this might surprise you,

00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:48.300
 tell them I'm a minister,

00:17:49.420 --> 00:17:51.800
 I don't know whether to laugh,

00:17:51.860 --> 00:17:52.460
 or cry,

00:17:52.580 --> 00:17:53.720
 when they say this,

00:17:53.800 --> 00:17:55.840
 but it happens surprisingly often,

00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:59.860
 they say,

00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:03.100
 I envy you Christians,

00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:09.560
 I wish I had your hope,

00:18:12.560 --> 00:18:14.460
 the answer to that one,

00:18:14.460 --> 00:18:17.360
 is very simple indeed.

00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:20.259
 Let's pray.

00:18:22.360 --> 00:18:22.819
 Lord,

00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:23.819
 thank you that,

00:18:24.420 --> 00:18:25.960
 we're not just left to get on,

00:18:26.120 --> 00:18:27.620
 with life in this world,

00:18:28.620 --> 00:18:30.940
 your desire is for us,

00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:32.579
 to be in partnership,

00:18:32.579 --> 00:18:33.400
 with you,

00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:36.360
 not to go it alone,

00:18:36.620 --> 00:18:37.140
 but to,

00:18:37.140 --> 00:18:39.900
 to face change,

00:18:40.900 --> 00:18:42.140
 that is part of life,

00:18:42.140 --> 00:18:43.040
 with you.

00:18:45.520 --> 00:18:46.740
 And we thank you,

00:18:46.820 --> 00:18:47.720
 that because of Jesus,

00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:48.259
 we can,

00:18:48.600 --> 00:18:48.940
 we can,

00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:50.540
 we've got something,

00:18:50.700 --> 00:18:51.180
 or someone,

00:18:51.540 --> 00:18:52.840
 to be anchored onto,

00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:54.320
 that gives us hope.

00:19:02.320 --> 00:19:02.720
 Lord,

00:19:02.820 --> 00:19:03.460
 thank you,

00:19:03.540 --> 00:19:05.220
 that in the midst of change,

00:19:05.280 --> 00:19:06.040
 and uncertainty,

00:19:06.040 --> 00:19:06.860
 you are there.

00:19:06.859 --> 00:19:11.939
 And as we pray to you now,

00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:12.179
 Lord,

00:19:12.219 --> 00:19:13.699
 we just take a few moments,

00:19:14.179 --> 00:19:15.819
 as we bring before you,

00:19:15.899 --> 00:19:17.319
 and hold before you,

00:19:17.639 --> 00:19:19.699
 whatever that uncertainty,

00:19:20.099 --> 00:19:21.179
 might look like,

00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:22.279
 or feel like,

00:19:22.399 --> 00:19:23.059
 right now.

00:19:23.059 --> 00:19:23.839
 Lord,

00:19:35.919 --> 00:19:36.759
 thank you that,

00:19:36.819 --> 00:19:39.559
 that being anchored to you,

00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:41.319
 does not restrict our freedom,

00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:44.220
 it actually sets us free.

00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:48.319
 Lord,

00:19:48.359 --> 00:19:49.639
 in the sense of the unknown,

00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:50.819
 in the uncertainties,

00:19:50.899 --> 00:19:52.679
 in the fears that confront us,

00:19:53.340 --> 00:19:54.180
 renew us in,

00:19:54.380 --> 00:19:56.380
 a fresh sense of confidence.

00:20:00.700 --> 00:20:02.000
 Fill us afresh,

00:20:02.100 --> 00:20:03.400
 with your Holy Spirit,

00:20:04.100 --> 00:20:05.600
 right now.

00:20:12.860 --> 00:20:13.380
 Lord,

00:20:13.420 --> 00:20:14.340
 like one swimming,

00:20:14.340 --> 00:20:15.220
 towards the shore,

00:20:15.360 --> 00:20:16.340
 surrounded by fog,

00:20:17.660 --> 00:20:18.500
 not knowing,

00:20:18.660 --> 00:20:19.960
 how close that shore is.

00:20:20.039 --> 00:20:20.299
 But Lord,

00:20:20.360 --> 00:20:21.220
 help us to keep,

00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:22.559
 that mental picture,

00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:23.740
 in our minds,

00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:24.600
 and help us to hold it,

00:20:24.660 --> 00:20:25.519
 in our hearts,

00:20:25.940 --> 00:20:27.180
 that you are there,

00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:29.140
 even when we cannot see you.

00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:35.140
 Lord,

00:20:35.220 --> 00:20:35.620
 forgive us,

00:20:35.660 --> 00:20:37.039
 for when we anchor ourselves,

00:20:37.120 --> 00:20:38.019
 to other things,

00:20:38.259 --> 00:20:39.400
 that are not faithful,

00:20:39.579 --> 00:20:40.660
 that are not reliable.

00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:43.160
 Things that we can see,

00:20:43.299 --> 00:20:43.860
 and touch,

00:20:44.880 --> 00:20:45.960
 things that are not you.

00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:53.120
 Lord,

00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:53.740
 thank you,

00:20:53.740 --> 00:20:54.700
 that the hope,

00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:56.180
 that you hold out to us,

00:20:56.220 --> 00:20:57.039
 is not something,

00:20:57.180 --> 00:20:59.039
 just for a select few,

00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:00.640
 but anybody can have.

00:21:02.860 --> 00:21:03.480
 Thank you,

00:21:03.539 --> 00:21:03.980
 for the way,

00:21:04.059 --> 00:21:05.500
 that you transform lives.

00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:06.259
 We pray,

00:21:06.620 --> 00:21:07.920
 that you would continue,

00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:09.700
 to transform us.

00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:16.900
 Father God,

00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:18.519
 whatever lies ahead,

00:21:18.600 --> 00:21:19.400
 in our own lives,

00:21:19.500 --> 00:21:20.460
 whatever battles,

00:21:20.580 --> 00:21:21.400
 we may be facing,

00:21:21.819 --> 00:21:24.319
 whatever insecurities,

00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:25.819
 we may sense,

00:21:25.880 --> 00:21:26.900
 or whatever fears,

00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:27.799
 we may have,

00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:32.100
 help us to know,

00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:33.400
 that you are with us,

00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:35.100
 that you go before us,

00:21:35.220 --> 00:21:36.600
 and that you are faithful,

00:21:36.600 --> 00:21:37.660
 to your promises.

00:21:37.660 --> 00:21:44.759
 Lord,

00:21:44.800 --> 00:21:45.519
 as we continue,

00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:46.800
 to worship now,

00:21:47.160 --> 00:21:47.759
 and as we go,

00:21:47.840 --> 00:21:48.940
 into this coming week,

00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:51.900
 go on filling us,

00:21:52.019 --> 00:21:53.259
 with your strength,

00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:54.140
 your power,

00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:55.420
 of your Holy Spirit.

00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.759
 In Jesus name.

00:22:02.140 --> 00:22:02.660
 Amen.