Take Heart

Sermons

Sabbath Rest

The Venerable Sue Field

Embracing Change
The Very Revd John Witcombe

Building Hope
The Revd Simon Betteridge

Maintaining Spiritual Fervour
Bishop Christopher

Take Heart
The Venerable Barry Dugmore

Take Heart, what does it mean?

The dictionary says: ‘to be courageous, to regain one’s courage. Take heart, help will arrive shortly and everything will be fine’. Quote ‘The phrase take heart means to put all your energy and sincere effort into something; to work hard in order to do or get something or to put one’s soul into something’ If you take heart from something, you are encouraged and made to feel optimistic by it’

Take heart is used in the bible a number of times, in the Psalms, Deuteronomy, Joshua, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Isaiah, Haggai, Matthew, Mark, Acts and my favourite John, which seems to encapsulate it all. John 16v33 ‘I have said all these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble: but take heart! I have overcome the world’

‘I’ is Jesus. We don't have to ‘work hard’ to be loved and saved by him. Only to put all our hope in knowing that because of Jesus all will be well!

Not necessarily in this world. As we all know too well, especially in our present times when so many are suffering in so many ways and even dying. How can we take heart?

Only by putting our trust in Jesus, who stands alongside us and holds our hand, reminding us that He has already overcome all troubles in the world when he died and rose again.

The Kingdom coming, like a baby being born is messy. The joy of new life being born outweighs the pain of getting there. Today the world is in great pain but lets take heart our selves and help others to take heart that there are better days ahead. Not only on earth but also in eternity.

Romans 8 v37 says ‘Nothing can separate us from the love of God… even death’ and in Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us’ and that isn’t to be flippant or dismissive about the reality of the pain of today during the Covid 19 pandemic, or indeed at any time of suffering, all humans will go through in our lives. To quote the dictionary again ‘ help will arrive shortly and everything will be fine’. Help has already come in the form of Jesus, who has sent the Holy Spirit to be with us, so lets Take Heart, be encouraged and encourage others.

We don't have to pretend everything is ok or not be upset, worried or sad. That is to be human. However we don't need to despair 2 Corinthians 4 v8-9 say ‘We are experiencing trouble on every side, but we are not crushed, we are perplexed, but not driven to despair’.

We can encourage each other to stand firm, to take heart, because we have hope for the future because of our faith in Jesus. Romans 12v12 ‘Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer’

We can do this in a simple way using our creativity. We are all creative in some way. We are made in the image of our creator God. We can pray whilst being creative.

Make hearts and other things, use bible verses of hope and give away. We can do these things in our isolation whilst being part of a community with a purpose. Creativity, purpose and being part of community are proven to be part of helping towards having ‘good’ mental health.

We don't have to be an expert; there is something everyone can achieve, regardless of age and ability.