Last weekend was very full. Late Thursday night, I travelled down to Rugby for a breakfast visit to Mum in her nursing home, followed by a meeting with NHS staff re her funding. As expected, she does not qualify for finance for all her nursing care, just the basic minimum. We now await a decision from Social Services about how her care in future is to be paid for. Long story!
At the interview, I was conscious of bearing several responsibilities: primarily as a son, concerned for his aged mother (she is 85); also, a brother, with my sisters, trying to do the sums and share the burden of mum's care. In addition, I am also a tax payer in very small part concerned to see that the money most of us contribute to the national 'purse' is fairly and justly distributed especially in these straitened times. Whilst one would love it if the state basically provided in such circumstances, I have to realise that there are many far worse off and it is hard for NHS and SS administrators to cope with the burden of making such decisions. At the back of one's mind too is the realization 'one day, this could be me - in care'. One good reason for having 4 children!!
On my return, I left almost immediately for a 24 hour retreat on the Wirral, with a group of 8 'emerging leaders' from our 3 churches. I was hugely encouraged, working with them, listening to them, exploring the Scriptures, understanding why vision is so important. For me, the only vision that really matters is that of the new heaven and the new earth (Isaiah 65 and Revelation 21): all other vision pales in the light of that, and yet our vision must also reflect it. God is already creating the new heaven and the new earth - and we are part of that creation, even co-creators!
Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Church in the USA, states that 'the local church is the hope of the world'. I am more and more convinced of the truth of this. The weekend with my excellent Christian brothers and sisters has strengthened this faith.
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