Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We sometimes wonder as Christians how it is that the early believers in New Testament times seemed to assume that the end of history was round the corner; whereas here we are several centuries later without clear sight of that promised happening. 

I’d like to suggest that it has something to do with the generally wiser and more beneficial effects of the “long view” in making most sorts of plans, in comparison with trying to bring things to pass in shorter but less thought-out ways. Of course I am putting things in a human way while refraining from asserting knowledge of the actual working of the divine Mind. However, there are one or two examples in the human domain that are now familiar and could be considered to be illustrative. One is the issue of coastline development here in Cayman. 

One of the government administrations here made a terrible decision in Cabinet (or maybe Executive Council) to grant themselves the power to re-zone coastline areas to override the Central Planning Authority’s objections to coastal developments that would run counter to the zoning laws. The Beach Bay area where I live is now wrestling with the effects of that terrible action, and the results of it still do not look good.

Another - and this may be controversial to some readers - was the governmental decision in very many areas of the world effectively to ignore the medical implications of making a medical procedure conscientiously labelled as “for emergency use only” the only approved procedure for the populations involved. 

This too was an example of a short term-ism that comes back to bite us. There are world data that transparently show this.

One of the consequences of the instruction to have the mind of Christ is to avoid the temptations of short term-ism in what we plan and do, just as He Himself did on earth.

The Collect for Trinity Sunday is

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast given unto us thy servants grace, by the confession of a true faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Unity: We beseech thee, that thou wouldest keep us stedfast in this faith, and evermore defend us from all adversities, who livest and reignest, one God, world without end. Amen.

Certainly this is a prayer for the long view of our minds and outlooks, a prayer for the steadfastness of our faith to recognise the “glory of the eternal Trinity” and to worship the One God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost through the grace-filled “power of the Divine Majesty”. 

In this faith we pray to be kept steadfast and defended from contrary elements, i.e. “all adversities” - including of course the multifarious temptations of short term-ism.

May the Lord grant us the benefits of the “long view” throughout the weeks of the Trinity Season ahead!

For directions about the services this Sunday the 12th June 2022, Trinity Sunday, please see the website www.TruthWithLanguage.com .

In faith in the holy Name of our Lord Jesus, who will continue to provide guidance by the Holy Spirit to all His people.

+ Nicholas