June Message 2007

Dear Friends

Some words have a kind of elastic quality - they can be pulled and stretched in all sorts of directions to cover a whole multitude of meanings. I have stood outside the chapel after various services for enough years to know that the word 'fine' is one of them. "How are you" I regularly ask,"Fine thank you" often comes the reply. But what exactly does the word 'fine' convey or indicate?

Possibly some of the following:

Good feeling - I feel very well today - I enjoy good health.
Thoughtfulness - Don't worry about me, concentrate on others.
Reserve - I'm 'fine' because I'm just too shy to say any more.
Vulnerability - 'Fine' is a shield to hide my hurting heart.
Tough rebuff - 'Fine' means none of your business, so back off!
Faith - Life is difficult - but the Lord is good - I'm fine.
Improvement - I've had a rough time - now I'm much better.

Another word that has many meanings is the word 'Christian'. If everybody who claimed to be a Christian actually followed Jesus Christ, this country - indeed the whole world - would be a very different place. So how is the word 'Christian' used.

I'm a good person - I live a good life - I don't hurt anybody.
I'm a religious person - I worship in a Christian building.
I'm not a pagan, or an atheist in my views.
I believe in Jesus Christ - I trust and follow him.
It is the last of these that should come first. How we live, where we worship, the claims we make - are important matters - but the great essential is to have a real, living faith in Christ within our hearts. Without Jesus I would not be 'Fine' at all - not internally or eternally.

Yours in the gospel of Christ

Eddie Jones (Pastor) Back to top