My friend is living through one of these dreadful moments following a tragedy in his church when his friend and colleague on the staff Joanna was knocked off her bicycle in Oxford and died in the street. Please pray for Simon and the community of St Aldates and for Joanna's family and friends as they walk through the aftermath together and do listen to 'Present Sufferings Future Glory' that he preached through tears from a text in Romans 8. Simon has been preaching through Romans for fourteen months and I commend this as some of the finest Bible teaching you will find in the Church of England. Available on itunes here.
I watched this short film a while ago of people on bicycles which has the strap-line 'Life is short' and as I have watched it anew it has moved me deeply for obvious reasons. Pray for St Aldates, for Charlie and Anita as they lead this extraordinary church that was such a blessing to me for two years, for the city of Oxford full of students living life which is indeed short and who need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ so desperately in these days. Whilst the world says 'Life is short' we know that for Joanna, in the blinking of an eye, it wonderfully became an eternal reality. Pray for the proclamation of the Gospel in that great city and for his anointing on those tasked with preaching it. Personally, it has also prompted me to count my own days and use them as fruitfully and creatively as I can and to be thankful afresh for God's amazing mercy and goodness to me. May God use this heart-rending event and work it for good and for His glory.
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