Ps. Kathy Sinclair
The older I get, I don’t know about you, but I’m regularly amazed at when situations unfold – both good and bad, how the Scriptures are time and time again proved to be so pin point accurate in what they have to say about life and how to journey through it.
Perhaps this blog post will be a little more raw than normal. The last couple of years have been challenging for our family, with three deaths in my husband’s family – complicated by us living on the other side of the world. Dashes across the planet have been required, complicated by Covid-world. Just as things began to stabilise, I have received the news that my father is critically ill. Later today, at very short notice, I will set off again, to face the final parting (well hopefully if I make it in time) with my beloved Dad.
So how to address all this unwanted, yet inevitable trauma as we age? I think of Jesus and his wise advice (Matthew 6) not to worry about life, I think of his challenge “who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” – or anybody else’s life for that matter! He finishes up that teaching by saying v34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Today does feel troubled in my world. I’ve been thinking recently about Jesus’s mum Mary. She endured a lot of trouble, from a strange teenage pregnancy, announced by the Angel Gabriel, to escaping from mad Herod who wanted to kill her baby, her unusual boy getting lost in Jerusalem – on and on it went. Yet this remarkable woman, as we read in John’s Gospel, had such confidence in her son’s ability in the midst of troubled times, that she ended up launching his public ministry. I’m talking of course of the occasion when Mary had been invited to a wedding and Jesus and his friends were also there. It’s bad enough in today’s culture, when you are catering for an important event, trying to estimate how much food and drink will be needed. However, in ancient Jewish culture, to not have enough to entertain your guests at a wedding was next level embarrassment! To the extent that a faux pas of this nature - not enough wine, could have shameful ramifications for generations to come! Mary saw the crisis unfolding and went to Jesus to tell him. He famously replies “woman, my time has not yet come”. Have you noticed how she completely overrides him and says to the servants “Do exactly what he says”.
So, what to learn from this scenario? In Luke 2:19, we read that “Mary treasured all these things in her heart and pondered them”. All the extraordinary experiences she had surrounding her son Jesus – she stored them up and brought them out at a troubled time like the wedding feast.
Things are challenging at the moment, but taking Mary’s example, I can reflect on all the amazing things I have seen the Lord do in my life and my family’s life over the years. Instead of caving into anxiety and fear, I can look confidently to Jesus in the midst of my difficulties. Somehow, by his grace the instruction “not to worry” becomes a whole lot easier! I wonder what troubling circumstances you find yourself in today? let me encourage you to look to Jesus as Mary did all those years ago
Kathy Sinclair is the BWAA Church Relationship Manager in Western Australia. Kathy joined Baptist World Aid in January 2019. She comes to the role having spent 11-years on staff at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Western Australia, as the Children and Families Pastor. In more recent years, she also held responsibility for overseeing the church’s mission ministry. Kathy has been a speaker for Christian Women Communicating Internationally (CWCI) for several years, where she enjoys the privilege of travelling around Western Australia to teach God’s word. She enjoys visiting church communities to share about the work of Baptist World Aid and how individuals and congregations can respond effectively to God’s heart for the poor and needy. Kathy is married to Mark and has two children and a daughter-in-law.
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