Have you noticed that the evenings are gradually getting shorter as we move further away from the longest day in June? It is a sign that we are moving into the second half of the year, and that means we are looking, on balance, towards the middle of summer with the celebrations of harvest time fast approaching. It is noticeable already that the fruit trees are laden with apples, pears and other good things to eat. I can clearly remember as a boy taking apples from trees to eat when we roamed the hedgerows around the freshly cut fields of corn.
Things are so much different these days: the fields of corn are cut, the straw baled and cultivated ready for the next crop in days rather than weeks; or at least it seems to be that way. There are larger combine harvesters – bigger bales are produced and much of the cultivation is carried out by tractors controlled by GPS and similar. I guess they call it progress, but I sometimes wonder with the loss of jobs from the farms and the loss of land to solar panels etc. whether it is progress at all.
However, technology enables us to do so much: being able to message and get instant replies, be aware so much more of what is going on around the world, and in some circumstances get aid to those in need. The gifts we have in terms of our intelligence and being able to think deeper and longer with the data we can collect are all God-given talents, and we must use them for the good of our world. Taking medicine as an example, we have made much greater strides with the knowledge we have in finding cures, prevention and relief of some diseases that potentially give us longer and more comfortable lives. I pray that we use these gifts for the good of humankind.
May I wish you God’s blessings.
Revd Graham
