By The Rev. David Jones.
The Welsh Political Conference season continues this weekend with the Conservatives meeting at Llangollen. Llandudno welcomed Welsh Labour and ‘Y Ffwrness’ here in Llanelli hosted Plaid Cymru for their conference last week, other parties have also held their conferences, and with the Welsh Assembly elections in May and just a few weeks later the EU Referendum there’s much for us to think about as we take on board the claims and counter claims of those who would seek to lead us. In the end, of course, it’s your decision and mine. Across the pond the American Presidential race is certainly going to be interesting as outsider Donald Trump seems set to challenge the establishment and take on the likely Democrat nominee Hilary Clinton for the While House in November.
It was Winston Churchill who said that democracy was not perfect but that it was the best system we have. Surely he was right, democracy can sometimes be manipulated and yet its essence is the right of every individual, taking all political claims into consideration and to freely make their own choice. Churchill was right!
It’s very much same as faith is concerned. There is enshrined in the Bible the freewill to live by faith or not. That’s the personal integrity and freedom which God gives to us all, so in the end the decision is ours. Jesus gave us in what is known as the ‘Sermon on the mount’ the most powerful and dynamic manifesto on which to base our lives. Such commands as going the second mile and resisting violence and retribution, of turning the other cheek, loving our enemies and giving to those in need are all grounded in the truth of God’s word.
Every time we place a cross against a candidate’s name we are giving them our confidence and trust. How much more to make the best decision of all and to believe in the Christ who leads us in the ways of peace and compassion and teaches us to love our neighbour, who lived, died and arose from death that ‘whosoever’ believes may not perish but have eternal life. Then to have the assurance that whatever life brings we know that God is on our side and that as the Apostle Paul declared nothing can ever separate us from his love!
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