Convictions

What sort of convictions do you have? Not criminal ones, I hope!

And are those convictions related to reality? 

Sadly, England's football fans may have had firm convictions that our team was good enough, but Italy showed us that our convictions were not matched by reality. They could pass the ball, and we couldn't!

Just being thoroughly convinced about something will not make it happen. That lesson is learned by hopeful but talentless entertainers on shows like X Factor. Just believing it won't rewrite the future.

But St. Paul tells us that having solid convictions will significantly affect our lives. 'And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.' (Romans 8.38-39)

The difference between those who put their trust in God's love shown in and through Jesus, and those who trust their own talents to win through is that God is worthy of our trust and has proved Himself faithful countless times before. He has a good track record, as the death and resurrection of Jesus shows us. That is why St. Paul looks back to the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So today and throughout this week, we can have firm convictions about what the Lord can do in us and through us. Again, St. Paul gets the balance right, when he reminds his friends in Philippi, 'And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.' (Philippians 1.6).

Best wishes,

Richard