Thought for the Week

Are you a fan of BGT – Britain’s Got Talent?

I can enjoy a good variety show as much as anyone but sometimes a format can run so long that it gets to be a bit predictable and so loses its appeal.

That’s kind of how I felt this year with BGT. However, I was delighted to find some real jewels in amongst the acts and one of them was the 167 strong Côr Glanaethwy choir.

At the first audition the choir sang Karl Jenkins’ ‘Benedictus’. They sang ‘The Prayer’ in the semi-final and a choral arrangement of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ in the final and, in my opinion, they were superb. But they didn’t win!

They were beaten into third place by Jules O’Dwyer and her dog Matisse and magician Jamie Raven.

However, they were gracious in defeat.

Canon Robert Townsend, a Welsh vicar who was in the choir, said: “I went to church at 8am yesterday. It was a case, as with many things in my life, of saying to God: ‘ Your will be done.’ I just prayed, not that the choir would win, but that we would do our best.”

Well, they certainly excelled themselves, but still they didn’t win.

Was that because God “wasn’t on their side”? Of course not! Sometimes it’s God’s will for us to “play second fiddle,” to come second or even third. And that’s not because someone else is His favourite, or because He loves someone else more than you.

So don’t imagine that if you’re not winning in life it’s because God isn’t happy with you. Learning to persevere can be a life-changer. Rev Brian J Graham www. cambuslangbaptistchurch.org.uk.