“It does not follow from God’s omnipotence that He has the power to become less that He is, or the power to lie, etc. Neither is it allowable to conclude, on the other hand, that God’s power is a limited one because He is unable to do what men do, namely, to lie, or to sin in any way;  … Wycliffe regards it as the act of a mistaken imagination when men suppose that God is able to bring into existence an infinite world for Himself; he puts in the place of an alleged unlimited and boundless power the idea of a power conditioned and unlimited by no other power, the greatest positive power of all. In other words, he conceives of the Divine omnipotence as a power self-determining, morally regulated, ordered by inner laws.” (John Wycliffe and his English Precursors, by Prof Lechler, 1878)

I found this analysis so helpful. I have frequently heard and quoted, that God is omnipotent. Numerous scriptures are brought in support of this concept. However, it seems unsatisfactory, when we then have to qualify the same concept; Can God sin? Can God save the unsaveable? Wycliffe’s wording makes a lot of sense, in providing the proper ‘restrictions’ upon God’s omnipotence, ie: His self-determining power; His moral regulation; His inner character.

I looked and saw an island, so beautiful, so green and pleasant

The weather is inconsistent (giving the natives something to talk about!)

But all is scenic, picture postcard land, perfect PC wallpaper

“we live as kings,” we shout out

Beneath the surface, a different truth, an uncomfortable reality. Far different is the real truth.

Broken, like an African taxi driver’s windscreen; ready to shatter at the next bump on the road.

At every turn, pressures and fissures threaten the whole:

An unfinished list –

• Of constantly evolving mental illnesses, striking the young, and the fit and the strong. Its ‘survival of the fortunate.’
• Of child abuse; victims and abusers; numbering thousands and thousands, and thousands.
• Of an aging population, the pensions ‘black hole,’ unaddressed issues, a blank check for the NHS, already signed.
• Of rich and poor; tax avoidance and payday loans; the growing gap already a chasm.
• An epidemic of gambling, ‘the fun is in the playing;’ a new form of uneven taxation, with a bitter harvest.
• We make the important trivial; and the trivial important.

“But you are all doom and gloom!”

No!

Shining lights in the darkness; some bright, some weak; some flicker and die, to be replaced by more. Many colours and multi-coloured.

Hope, and compassion, and integrity, and community.

Asian and African and European hand-in-hand, heart-to-heart, as it should be; as we were meant to be.

Business and community and charity – common goals; sharing resources and skills.

Faith groups and no-faith groups, and many varieties; co-operating and collaborating.

Bringing hope and compassion, into this broken land, this fractured isle.

And, perhaps the brightest: the local church (but I am biased)

Preaching and teaching; praying and worshipping (because that is what you would expect)

Out-reaching, out-facing; engaging with this broken world, this fractured isle.

Church and business? yes;

Church and community? yes;

Church and mosque? yes;

Not afraid of co-operation and collaboration. My weaknesses and your strengths, to begin to mend, this broken world, to heal this fractured isle.