In an ideal world

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Every fortnight people from a farming background, or who have a heart for the countryside, offer a personal reflection on faith and rural life. They hope that you will be encouraged by it.

I am intrigued by the number of TV programmes promoting the wonders of a lifestyle in the country.

Folk from urban backgrounds are seen moving to the country, some to small holdings and begin keeping sheep, or livestock of all sorts, from bees to alpacas - all seeking their ‘ideal world’.

A wonderful lifestyle is presented, and certainly there are aspects of country living that are wonderful as we ‘country cousins’ know. I love the rural way of life. Maybe it’s just me, but I recall less idealised things too, like trying to get silage cut on a wet week! Or TB lockdown and beloved dairy cows going off to slaughter. Also, I know there are times when things are ‘tight’ and margins poor.

Old ‘normal’ seems to have disappeared with fuel, feed and fertilizer prices skyrocketing. The war in Ukraine continues and everything and everyone gets hit harder - we wonder when will this end? Many of us have had to face things that are far from ideal too, like serious illness (physical and mental), financial problems, relationship crises, family problems - the list goes on.

The other day I was discussing a particular issue with a friend when that same comment came up “...in an ideal world.” We know this is a world where things are not ideal, and things happen that make us ask questions no-one can answer. We can bury our heads and hope things just ‘go away’, but this usually leads to bigger problems.

We can try to blame others, but that just leads to anger and bitterness. Sometimes we do have to act and make changes, which though painful, will lead to a better way forward.

The Bible never dodges hard questions, or painful experiences either at a personal, national, or global level. War, injustice, hard times, starvation and death are all there. Jesus entered this world as a baby facing the death threat of a tyrant, forced to be a refugee and lived in a poor family in a rural village where Joseph was a labourer.

Jesus was misunderstood, and finally killed. Fully God, he became fully human, seeing everything that we see, the greed, pain, and hard times. That’s a great comfort in our hard times. God knows what we face and how we feel. He cares, wanting us to turn to Him in our worries and with our fears.

So what then of this ‘ideal world’, do we give up on it altogether? Why no! The Bible points not to some wishy-washy vague hope, but with certainty to an ideal world where nothing is broken, or ever will be again. A world where “He [God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

In that ideal world there will be no evil, no wrong, what the Bible calls sin. For us to take our place there one day requires one chief change for us all in the here and now. We need to become ‘a new creation’, as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17, and this comes only by asking for God for forgiveness of our sins and trusting in Jesus to be our Saviour. This leads to a life forever in a truly ideal world.

Ian was brought up on a dairy farm near Limavady. He was a minister in Ballyroney and Drumlee congregations in south Down, and latterly Moneydig Presbyterian in County Londonderry. Due to a serious cancer diagnosis, Ian has had to retire from active ministry and now provides counselling and support to others with cancer.

If you would like to talk to someone about any of the issues raised in this article, please email Rev Kenny Hanna, PCI’s Rural Chaplain at [email protected] or call him on 07938 488 372.

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