Reflection for the month - April

 There’s a long long trail a‘winding.

To the soldiers in the wretched trenches of World War One, the words of the ‘Long long trail’ song, written by Stoddard King, surely brought comfort and hope, a way out from the nightmares of war to the ‘land of their dreams’. Does anything ever change? How many desperate souls today, and not only those confronted with the terror of war, would most willingly exchange their all but hopeless plight for a land of dreams. Famine, fire, flood, poverty, homelessness, constantly add to the sum of human misery in one part of the world or another up to our very doorsteps.
 
‘Thy kingdom come’, are familiar words from the Lord’s Prayer, a kingdom where justice, love and mercy sustain an everlasting peace. The way to that Kingdom may well be long, but we have Jesus as a travelling companion and every one of us, often by just the smallest steps can help move us all along that way, that long long trail.  Jesus said ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ Following Him, following his example of love, mercy and justice for all is THE way.  It may well prove to be a long trail, we have after all been walking it for two thousand years.  There may be no end in sight, but we must never give up hope. Trust in God, and every day give thanks for our lives and all that we can do for others and share with them. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                        David Peacock