There is one who sticks closer than a brother
Reverend Ross Blackman, Hamilton Old Parish Church
At the start of July, we had our first holiday on the island of Jersey.
We took in the attractions, mostly beaches, and the Jersey War Tunnels. I recommend them as an insight into the events around WWII.
Built by Germany using forced and local labour, they acted as an underground hospital and barracks. Now they tell the story of this dark period of the Channel Island’s history.
In June 1940, the British government decided it couldn’t hold the islands, so the locals were given opportunity to leave.
Some changed their mind and returned from the port to find their homes looted by neighbours.
The invasion started lightly but grew more oppressive week-by- week, including curfews, rationing, and fishing and radio bans.
Some islanders resisted, some became Judases.
They suffered privations and an almost complete sense of abandonment.
There had been enemies without and enemies within.
Thousands departed or died from a population about the size of Hamilton.
Then D-day passed them by as strategically unimportant, and the remaining population were finally liberated in May 1945.
Churchill announced,“our dear Channel Islands are also to be freed today”.
Hearing the footage of“liberation Day”cheers, I wept. All had been dark but now relief, disbelief, and elation mingled.
Life and faith are not a holiday, but rather a mixed cup of highs and extreme lows.
Sometimes friends betray us and strangers help, yet“there is one who sticks closer than a brother”(proverbs 18:24).
Do we take life, faith, and one another for granted?