Remember - November Blog

November 2025 Blog

REMEMBER:

In my happy place, looking out over a highland Glen as the early morning mist in the valley below clears to reveal the autumn colours of the hillside opposite, I listen to a special Remembrance Day devotional where we think of the consequences of war and the awful death toll arising from past conflicts. We move into a short time of silence as the gentle playing of the last post is accompanied by a fly by outside my window. The small birds rush by and I reflect on Gods ‘fly by’. This moment of peace and calm is found while reflecting on the sovereignty of God.

He brought us into His world as its stewards, but He retains sovereignty. Creation sings His praises and reflects His beauty in so many different ways.

 Psalm 84:

 How lovely is your dwelling place,

                   LORD Almighty!

          My soul yearns, even faints,

                   for the courts of the LORD;

          my heart and my flesh cry out

                   for the living God.

          Even the sparrow has found a home,

                   and the swallow a nest for herself,

                   where she may have her young—

          a place near your altar

LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

We have a God shaped hole in our hearts and in moments like this it is filled with an awareness of His love and His peace. The small birds recognise the benefits of being in Gods presence and experiencing His peace and protection.

Why can we not experience that peace all the time, why can we not live in it instead of knocking lumps out of each other. One day, One day it will be different, but that day never seems to come and we continue to harm each other in the name of human pride and greed.

The Prophet Isaiah gives us a wonderful picture of the Kingdom of God in Isaiah 11:6-9

          The wolf will live with the lamb,

                   the leopard will lie down with the goat,

          the calf and the lion and the yearling together;

                   and a little child will lead them.

          The cow will feed with the bear,

                   their young will lie down together,

                   and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

          The infant will play near the cobra’s den,

          and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.

          They will neither harm nor destroy

                   on all my holy mountain,

          for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD

                   as the waters cover the sea.

That perfect place just seems to be out of reach, we cannot make it our home this side of eternity but in His goodness, He gives us glimpses of it. We find these moments in different places, but we always find more of them when we turn our hearts and our gaze upon Jesus.

O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s light for a look at the Savior,

And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

With these thoughts in my head and with a prayer thanking God for the moment I feel strengthened and equipped for the day. Confident that as I live it out God will be with me and will reveal more of his sovereign hand in my life.

I pray for peace and I remember with so many others around the world on this special day. As long as we desire peace it is within our grasp.  Gods’ peace is not a worldly peace, it is a peace that is there for us whatever our circumstances.

Lord God, thank you for moments in time where our gaze is firmly upon you. Fill us with your peace and bring your peace into the areas of the world that are in conflict. We pray for your Kingdom to come and your will to be done throughout this restless world.

The LORD bless you and keep you;

          the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;

          the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.