Page 2 - Contact Autumn 2020

Making Sense of Life
Our new High Kirk website will lead with the
tag line “Making Sense of Life”. I wanted this to
be front and centre for a number of reasons
but above all, in a world which is increasingly
confused and anxious, I believe that people
are looking and searching for answers to life’s
biggest questions more than they have done in
recent generations.
Wherever we look at our world we are seeing
failed leadership, an increase in natural
disasters, a growing divide between the rich
and the poor, fears about our climate and what
is happening to the world’s ecosystem, falling
birth rates in the western world and to top it off
we have been experiencing a pandemic which
has impacted everyone. Whole economies have
been rattled, politicians have struggled to lead,
young people are concerned about their future
with unemployment rising, the use and abuse
of social media is leading to high levels of
anxiety and nothing seems to be certain
anymore. People are looking for a grand
narrative for their lives that makes sense in
the midst of this whirl of change as the old
foundations of society are crumbling. Every
few centuries a mega shift happens in society
and we are in the midst of one. This will settle
down but when you live in the midst of such a
disruption it can be a very bumpy ride.
The Bible often speaks about God’s
transcendent nature – in other words he is
over and above all trends and troubles.
Sometimes he might even send troubles, or at
least allow them, as humanity develops and
grows. God is the same yesterday, today and
forever (Hebrews 13:8). In his Word he provides
an overall framework which makes sense of
life. The Big Story of the Bible has four main
elements - we are created by God; we have
fallen in our disobedience to the creator as we
have sought to go our own way; God has come
to reconcile us to Himself in the form of Jesus
his Son who died for us on the cross; one day
Jesus will return to bring healing and wholeness
to the world and will reign with those who have
entrusted their lives to Him.
This very brief summary of hundreds of pages
that make up our Bible is simple though I hope
not simplistic. When you read the detail of
people’s lives in the Bible you see this fourfold
pattern reflected. The Bible makes sense of life
because it was “God breathed” (1 Timothy 3:16),
written by the author of life – Father, Son and
Holy Spirit.
I am convinced that the hope for the
world, whatever current chaos or crisis it is
experiencing, is found in coming to know God
as our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ
the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Having
God at the centre of our lives makes sense of
life. We have good news for a crazy world and
we need to have renewed confidence as we
speak, zoom, discuss, preach, teach, share
during these strange days. With every crisis
there is an opportunity. The letter we know as
1 Peter was written at a time of crisis for the
church and significantly in 1 Peter 3:15 he says
“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.
Always be prepared to give an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason for
the hope that you have. But do this with
gentleness and respect…”.
The church is made up of pilgrims travelling
through life; we too are trying to make sense
of life. As this crisis continues will you invite
others to join with you at church, in person
or online. In it we will have new opportunities
to bring good news to a world that frankly
is floundering. As we open up the scriptures
which though ancient, speak into today as no
other book does, together we will make sense
of life under the leading of the Holy Spirit and,
God willing, we will see many people coming
into the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
With every blessing,
Norman