Meeting of the Parliament
Meeting date: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Official Report
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Time for Reflection
The Rev Alan Gibson (United Parish of Carstairs and Carstairs Junction)
Presiding Officer, members of Parliament and friends, I spent last weekend walking part of the west highland way with my seven-year-old son, Benjamin. We were full of enthusiasm as we set off on our three-day, 28-mile trek. Five minutes into the journey, Benjamin turned to me and said, “Daddy, are we nearly there yet?” It proved to be a long, long weekend.
The previous week, I listened to Sir Ranulph Fiennes giving an after-dinner speech about his travels: having a heart attack when he was just a few minutes from the top of Everest; plunging into the icy waters during his solo walk to the north pole; and running seven marathons in seven days at the age of 60. It was an inspirational story. Life itself can be a steep journey, with icy blasts, pitfalls and treacherous ravines. I look at my parish in Carstairs. Recently I sat with a young lad who is £16,000 in debt. We run a youth group in which most of the kids come from homes where there is a drug problem. We have a football team in which four lads have been out of work for more than six months. Add to that bereavement and illness, and life is no pleasant meander but a frantic battle up the north face of the Eiger.
The psalmist says:
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?”
He answers his own question, saying:
“My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip. He who watches over you will not slumber.”
He was looking to the hills not in awe and wonder but in fear and trepidation. His journey was tough, and the hills presented a real hurdle to him. However, somewhere deep within he knew that there was one who would strengthen him for that journey.
Leading our nation up this treacherous mountain path has never been more difficult. You are more in touch with the realities of recession, the right to die—or live—and the realm of drug culture than I will ever be, so today I offer not patronising words of piety but simply encouragement as you lead and guide us up the mountain.
I invite you to pause with me for a few moments as we reflect again on the words of the psalmist. Lord, we ask for strength as we lift our eyes to the hills. Lord, we ask for wisdom as we lead others up this difficult path. May we be filled with compassion as we seek to understand those who struggle on that journey. Amen.
Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is the Rev Alan Gibson, from the united parish of Carstairs and Carstairs Junction.