The promise of a new life

JANUARY is always a dark month, and more so with the stabbing to death of two teenage boys in Bristol and the conviction of Valdo Calocaine for the stabbings three people in Nottingham. This brings back sadness as we remember James Furlong, teacher at The Holt School, David Wails, and Joe Ritchie-Bennett, who were stabbed to death in Forbury Gardens in 2020, in a terrorist attack.

January can be a difficult and dark time for many of us.

But as February begins, we look forward as lighter evenings start to bring us out of the dark months with the promise of spring and new life.

As Christians, right in the middle of the dark months, we celebrate the birth of Jesus whom his disciple John describes as ‘The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world’ (John 1:1 New International Version).

In Dominion, Tom Holland suggests that the moral code that we use to shine light on injustice is entrenched in Christianity and the teachings of Jesus.

We have this desire in our hearts that justice is meted out on wickedness. But when we examine our own hearts, we find pockets of darkness.

Jesus said ‘For out of the heart come evil thoughts’ (Matthew 15:19 NIV). We are all capable of thoughts of anger, jealousy, hate and lust.

Jesus articulated this: ‘But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.’ (Matthew 5:28 NIV).

But the good news is that Jesus took on himself the punishment for the evil in human hearts so that we might stand before God, guiltless and free.

To know more, please join us on Sunday mornings as we meet at St Crispin’s School at 10.30am.

Ian Stewart from Christ Church Wokingham, writing on behalf of Churches Together Wokingham