As a child growing up in England during the Second World War, I never once heard anyone comment that Britain could possibly suffer defeat. Schooling was reduced to part time; many teachers had been enlisted into the fighting forces. Rations were minuscule; we even grew foodstuffs in the window pots. The local habitat changed; flowering gardens were replaced by vegetable plots; a pleasant park where we had safely played as small children and where the gates had been locked early every evening, suddenly lost its railings—they were needed for ammunitions. Times were dire, invasion was imminently expected, the Home Guard was issued with truncheons for defense.
Yet never once, as far as I can recall, did we ever think that as a nation we would fail in the task to which we had pledged ourselves. And, of course, over time we made it through and achieved victory.
Recently I have been rereading the early chapters of the Book of Acts. The small, incipient church initially was full of fear. The disciples huddled together in one place. But then, in a new way, they encountered God. They realized that they possessed or were possessed by the Holy Spirit; the living Christ again became real to them and they knew that his promise to build his church would be realized until such time as he came again in person.
We read that those early disciples who were not formally schooled but who had been with Jesus, went out and immediately through their powerful word 3,000 persons were added to the church. Thereafter, con?dent in the presence of Christ, they became alive even to the point of death. They spread the good news of God’s reconciling love offered and victoriously con?rmed at Calvary. They knew that their message would ultimately prevail as indeed it did. The worldwide church today is the most recent proof.
It is obvious that a positive, hopeful attitude is essential to the accomplishment of one’s goal. Christians in the West have every reason—despite challenges such as reduced numbers, church closings and ?nancial woes—to be characterized by hope. That is, as long as they place their con?dence in our Lord and boldly af?rm in word and action that, as put by hymn writer Robert Lowry (1826 – 1899), they worship a Christ who:
“Arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.”
Many changes doubtless lie in the future. But as long as Presbyterians faithfully preach and try to live out the redemptive love of God in Jesus Christ, surely they have every reason not to be discouraged.
About Olive Regina Anstice
Olive Anstice is a member of St. Andrew’s, King Street, Toronto.