By Rev. Richard Walker – Vicar of St. John’s Church, Yeadon

I WONDER if you have found yourself pondering the deeper questions of life in recent months.

Our experience of the coronavirus and the restrictions on our everyday lives has raised a lot of frustrations, anxieties and sadness. But it may also have triggered more reflective considerations: ‘What are the most important qualities in life?’ ‘How can I find lasting happiness?’ ‘Is there anyone out there I can trust?’ ‘What does the future hold?’

Of course, the pandemic is only one global issue we currently face. If you’ve watched the recent documentaries by David Attenborough on the subject of climate change then you will be aware of the significant challenges ahead for life on this planet of ours. Add to that the continual tensions between nations – economically and militarily – and we have plenty of reasons to wonder if there might be a better way of looking at life.

C.S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” It’s not so much that God sends evil upon our world – we are well capable of producing that ourselves. But, in the midst of our pain and fear, I believe he is offering to show us the better way we seek.

One of the surprises of this season of lockdown is how many people have ‘tuned in’ to online church services – far more than normally attend church on a Sunday. If you haven’t already done so, may I encourage you to do the same. It’s not about ignoring the problems of the world and focussing on spiritual realms instead. It’s about connecting with the only One who knows how human beings are meant to live and who can provide us with the wisdom and strength to do that well. May God help us all to find that better way.