Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Official Report 786KB pdf

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Time for Reflection

Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is time for reflection for which our leader is the Reverend Brian Oxburgh, who is the minister of Tayport parish church.

Presiding Officer, members of the Scottish Parliament, ladies and gentlemen—I am grateful for the opportunity to share these few minutes with you.

How are you? I ask that question in all sincerity, because I cannot help but notice that on television and radio news programmes and in the newspapers every day there are political stories, and every day a politician somewhere is interviewed and asked to answer questions or to make a comment. That may give some people the impression that politicians are available every day, but you need to rest. We all need to have rhythms of rest and work.

In modern Scotland, much of the Christian church is in decline. The Bible is read less than it once was and its message and the teaching of Jesus guide us less and less. The Sabbath day is largely neglected and with each passing year the business of life encroaches upon it.

To be sure, the Sabbath was intended to be a day that was set aside for worship. It was also a day that was set aside for rest. Jesus wisely pointed out that

“the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath”.

Jesus took a rule that had become oppressive and showed that it was intended to be a release and a blessing, and a means of ensuring that everybody took rest and granted rest to others—to everyone. Jesus commended a healthy work-life balance. He cared for people’s wellbeing.

The complexities and business of modern living have made a healthy balance much harder to achieve, but a healthy balance is better for us as individuals, for our families and for our friendships. How do busy people such as you, in pressured vocations, achieve balance in work, home and personal life? How do we find the time to reflect on spiritual matters? Do you and I really find the time? Jesus told a story of a busy man who worked hard and then took early retirement to enjoy himself but died before he could enjoy his retirement. That man had no time to enjoy life or reflect on spiritual matters.

I want us to reflect and to consider how well we care for ourselves. Jesus claimed to offer life in all its fullness yet, to have this life, we have to rediscover his wisdom. I commend the wisdom of Jesus to you and pray God’s blessing on you. Thank you.