Hi, my name is Stephen Bello, the Chair of Churches together in Medway and today I’ll be bringing a reflection.  My reading for the reflection comes from the Book of Job,  Chapter 14 and I’ll be reading from verse 7-9.   Job chapter 14, verse 7-9.  

For there is hope for a tree if it is cut down that it will sprout again and its tender shoots will not cease.  Though its roots may grow old in the earth and its stump may die in the ground yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant.  

The story and the life of Job is similar to what quite a number of people particularly in this time of pandemic have gone through.  Job in his lifetime experienced personal loss, loss of loved ones, loss of children, loss of business, loss of health. He suffered quite badly in his time.  This description of how Job suffered in his lifetime is so graphically bad that it almost epitomises, symbolises everything we as a nation as families, as pastors of various communities have gone through in this season of pandemic. But God restored him back, God brought him back from all that disaster and that’s why I’m confident that God will bring you, your family and loved ones and communities, He will restore all these things back even as we prepare for the lockdown to be lifted.   

So let’s pray to the God of Heaven:

Father we are grateful, we thank you because you are the same yesterday, you are the same today and you are the same forever.  Thank you because just as you restored Job, you will restore our nation, you will restore the economy of our nation, you will restore again joy to families that have suffered bereavement, you will bring healing to our land, you will bring restoration to all those that have lost or things that have been wasted and we are grateful.  We pray for the Prime Minister and his Cabinet as they take critical decisions and plan towards lifting this lockdown. Give them wisdom, help them to make the right decisions. We pray for the various industries, companies, factories, shops and businesses that Lord they will spring forth back with life again in the name of Jesus.  We pray for the health of our community, health of men and women in our nation at this time.  Above all we ask that once again bring life back to our nation, in Jesus name.  Thank you because you will do much more.  We pray for all our nurses and frontline staff, help them as they go about their business of helping others. Bless our NHS, bless our nation, bless our community, bless our families, in Jesus name we pray, Amen.