“Keep Calm & Carry On” Have you
seen this poster? Originally distributed by the British government
near the beginning of World War II. Its purpose was to encourage
their citizens to keep calm and carry on . . . despite their
circumstance . . . despite the very real danger of being caught up in the
conflict which would soon impact every aspect of their lives . . . keep
calm and carry on.
There are now many variations of this
poster’s message.
Keep Calm & Eat Cookies (or
chocolate or cupcakes – all equally delicious suggestions!)
Keep Calm & Carry Yarn – for the
knitters among us.
One that is all too often a more usual
response to the challenges of life is probably one of my favourite
variations of this theme: FREAK OUT & PANIC! Be honest. You have
responded that way at least once.
There is a story in Isaiah 7 that tells
of a time when the people of Jerusalem had reason to “freak out &
panic”. Their city was under siege. Isaiah the prophet shows up and
says “Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose
heart . . .” (7:4)
The prophet told the king to ask for a
sign from God and though the king refused to ask, he was given one.
“Therefore the Lord himself will give
you a sign. The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a
son, and will call him Immanuel.” (7:14)
Immanuel . . . God with us . . .
This is our sign, our promise, too. For
those times when life is messy and hard, and those times when our
response is to freak out and panic, we can keep calm and carry on –
not in a stiff upper lip, ignore reality, kind of way but rather in
making the choice to remember, to know and to live the truth that
Immanuel . . . God with us . . . is our reality!
After promising the Holy Spirit, Jesus
said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give
to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do
not be afraid." (John 14:27)
God the Holy Spirit . . . present . . . with
us . . . Enabling us to chose peace and to not give in to fear . . . to "Keep Calm & Carry On".
Ruth
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