Voices of Hope – March 6th 2019

Jayne Ozanne

We each have a testimony – it is God’s gift to us and us alone.  No one else can tell it, no one else can live it, no one else can ever take it away.

It is ours.

You see, each one of us has a unique story that tells of our own individual love affair with our Creator God – how we have each come to know and accept the undeniable reality of God’s revelation in Christ Jesus.  Indeed, this combination of experience and grace has led us to know without question that we are loved and that we are lovable.

For many of us within the LGBTI+ community, our testimony has involved a painful journey through rejection and hurt, which has required much faith.  We have endured many long desert days – a form of unexpected exile – that have come as a result of our being driven from our spiritual homes into a world that has at times felt arid and dry .

But take heart, for it was the Holy Spirit who drove Jesus into his desert place – and who encouraged and ministered to Him along the way.

The good news is that Christ has trod exactly the same path that we now tread.  Like Him, in Him, we too will surely overcome.

For there is power in our testimony – power to overcome all that would stop God’s unconditional life-giving love being made known to a world that is desperately in need of grace.  Of course, there will always be much to contend with – such as those who try to silence us and stop us from giving the reason for the hope that dwells within us all.

That’s why I’ve created these series of Daily Reflections for Lent, which gives an opportunity to 40 LGBTI+ Christians from around the UK to tell their stories and share how God has spoken both truth and grace into their lives when they have needed it most.

I hope that as you journey with us through the next few weeks that you too will hear the Word of God speaking truth and grace into your heart also.  As we look at six broad themes together, my prayer is that you will be encouraged and know that you never travel alone, and that you too can overcome!

A Prayer

Heavenly Father, help us to know that we never journey alone – that You are with us at every step of the way.  I pray that You will use this Lent period to enable me to hear afresh the strength of Your love for me and that You will enable me to know that there is always power in my testimony. Amen.

Reflections will be posted every day except Sundays.  The themes that we will cover are:

Mar 6th – 9th                     Introduction to series

Mar 11th – 16th                 We are All One in Christ

Mar 18th – 23rd                Wonderfully & Fearfully Made

Mar 25th – 30th                The Healing Power of God’s Love

Apr 1st – 6th                      Holding onto Hope in a Dry Place

Apr 8th – 13th                    Truths to Live By

Apr 15th – 20th                 God Will Bring Us Home

Tomorrow – the Revd Gareth Wardell, ‘Change is Coming!’, Mark 1:11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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One Response to Voices of Hope – March 6th 2019

  1. Ian Paul says:

    Thanks Jayne, I will be interested in this series. But of course the kind of individualisation of testimony is the opposite of the point that Rev 12.11 is making. The ‘word of their testimony’ is a shared testimony to Jesus’ death and resurrection, and throughout Revelation this includes a turning from sexual immorality (which must in part at least be a metaphor for idolatry) and a distinctive, share dissociation from key aspects of the world around.

Any thoughts?