by the Rev Clive Kirke, of St john's, Ingrow

FAITH or fear?

In my last parish, my wife and I ran a parent and toddler group which met on Fridays. We would always know when it was Friday 13th - only one or two people would 'risk' leaving their house!

That surprised us at first, but it soon became clear how much superstition ruled the lives of some people. Don't pick up your own glove if you drop it.

Don't hand a knife or scissors to someone else.

Don't go in the back door and out the front, and vice versa.

Never pass someone else on the stairs.

Such a lot of fear of 'bad luck' and so many things to do and not to do to avoid it. Sadly, people can live their whole lives in fear.

Fear of the present, the future and ultimately fear of the inevitable (and often unspeakable) - death.

Jesus knew how afraid people were - especially of death. That's one of the reasons he came to earth.

He submitted himself to a terrible death, was buried in a tomb and came back to life again.

Many hundreds of people witnessed that he had risen from the dead, and the Christian church was born - with a living Lord at the heart of it.

Jesus died and rose again so that people need never again be afraid of death - it is just a doorway to the greater, fuller life with Jesus in heaven.

"God loved the world so much, that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." (The Gospel of John, Chapter 3 verse 16).

And because we don't need to fear death - we have no need to fear anything else.

God has given us a wonderful life to live. He doesn't say it will always be easy, but he does promise to be with us always - in this life and the next.

So don't be tempted to let your lives be ruled by superstitions and fear.

Live life to the full - in the company of the one who removes all fear - Jesus Christ your Lord.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.