See you in 'Hendon'!

“When I die mummy, will I go to Hendon?” four year old Barney’s Toddler Group member to his mum!

Yesterday I was at my uncle’s funeral, he died at age 70 from cancer. I was reminded of how eight years ago I was sitting at his sister’s funeral, my mum’s, she too died from cancer at age 58. Whilst sitting there it struck me that my mum had died when she was 58, so young (even 70 is young in my mind) and now I am 13 years away from being 58 myself. My irrationality then took me off on a random thought process of “well if I am only 13 years away from being the same age as my mum when she died – oh my gosh have I only got 13 years left; and Molly is 15 now which means she is a quarter of the way there, oh my I need to encourage her to get on with her life, not waste any of it...........blah..........blah..............” It’s amazing what the enemy can taunt you with in a moment of weakness, how easy it is to be pulled into a fearful thought pattern!

I don’t want to die, but I have no fear of death, because I know it isn’t the end. Through my faith in Jesus I have this promise "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16). I know that there is more than this and that I will spend eternity in heaven.

We should try not to waste any of our lives. Not that we have to run around like headless chickens trying to save the universe, but we should try to live it to the full. It’s good to be mindful of the things that can steal our lives like fear, worry, stress and the more obvious things that affect the health of our bodies such as abuse of substances including food, alcohol and drugs.

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) is Jesus promise to us, God sent his son to die for us so that we can be free from fear, worry, stress and other things that seek to steal our happiness and health from us.

We none of us know when it will be our turn to “go to Hendon!” However, “Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life.” (Philippians 4:6).

I pray that whatever is weighing you down today, whatever is stopping you from living your life to the full, you will feel able to give it to God. That you will be able to pray, grab back from the enemy the minutes of your life that he has stolen, and feel Christ pulling your life back into perspective and comforting you.

If you have never prayed before or feel you don’t know how – please don’t add that to your fears and worries! It’s easy, you just talk to God, you don’t need any fancy words, just talk to him – either out loud or in your head, just like I am talking to you now. He loves you and longs to hear from you. And remember, nothing is too big or too small to talk to Him about.

(And another thing, He already knows, He just wants to hear it from you!)