From the Chaplain

Two of my children and I went to Melbourne for three nights over the weekend. We visited Luna Park and the first ride we went on was the ‘Great Scenic Railway,’ which is one of the oldest roller coasters in Australia.  It opened in 1912, has a wooden track, and is heritage listed.  Each train weighs nearly two tonnes and reaches speeds of 60km/h.  Samantha who is eight sat next to her 13-year-old brother and I sat alone in front of them.  After the first dip down Samantha started crying and screaming and saying, ‘I hate this, I really hate this.’  I turned around to look at her and she had her head against her brother with tears running down her face.  I tried to calm her down, but it did not help.  

When I turned around, I also noticed a teenager standing up at the back of the train looking rather calm and subdued.  When we went down the hills, she carefully pulled up a large leaver to slow down the train.  I could not believe that all there was to slow down this train was this manual, wooden brake.  I also could not believe how this teen could manage to stand up, rather still, in the turmoil of this ride, as if the ride were motionless. 

This made me think of how God is with us.  We can be going through some really hard times that are terrifying and scary and all we want to do is ‘hop off the ride.’  We need to remember that like this teen, God is in control.  He has the brake and knows which direction to take us in.  God is not surprised by what is happening to us, he is not afraid or scared.  God carefully sits, waits and steers us in the right direction. 

Isaiah 41:13 says, ‘For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.’ God promises that when times are tough, he will never leave us and will be with us all the way. 

Mrs Naomi Cooper | Chaplain