A counterweight or counterbalance is an equivalent weight or force which balances something. A crane, for example, has a counterweight on it to stop it from toppling over.

We live in a world where forces are constantly exerting pressure on us. We can feel pushed and pummelled by life to the point where we fall over, where we feel crushed, unable to carry on. Many physical and emotional problems result from this sense of pressure or stress if we have nothing with which to counterbalance them.

God’s word acts as a counterweight, preventing us from falling. It cancels out the forces pushing us over, providing an alternative viewpoint necessary to retain sanity and maintain health.

God’s Holy Spirit acts as a counterweight, leading us into truth and reminding us of truth that sets us free, unlike the lies of the enemy which threaten us daily.

God’s voice acts as a counterweight, rescuing us from the oppressive and harmful lies of the enemy which lie in wait to make us stumble every day of our lives.

We need access to a counterweight if we are to stand when the day of evil comes. Paul tells us to put on the armour of God in order to be able to do this. (Eph 6:10-20) God is the counterweight we need!

Psalm 46 is a psalm that has brought reassurrance and comfort to people throughout the ages. It reminds us of God’s strength and power and protection, telling us that God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Ps 46:1) It speaks of God as a fortress (Ps 46:7,11), a place of safety when war is all around, and reminds us that there is life and peace in Him.

I often read the Bible in a range of versions. Familiarity with phrases can sometimes blunt the impact of words, so reading in a variety of translations helps to keep my attention focussed and alert. This morning, when reading Psalm 46, the Message version speaks of us standing ‘fearless at the cliff-edge of doom.’

It can feel like we have been living at the cliff-edge of doom for two years now. We had all the doom of Covid-19 and the psychological ‘nudging’ that came with it, telling us we were living in unprecedented times and had little hope of rescue from a deadly disease. Now we are bombarded daily with images of war between Russia and Ukraine, heightening the sense of threat, feeding our worst fears. Added to this are the anxieties about the rising cost of living and the relentless assault on happiness, for doom is in every headline. Pessimism is the prevailing tone, it seems.

It’s not easy to withstand such pressure, but Psalm 46 offers an alternative perspective and both comfort and hope for these turbulent times (which actually are pretty much the same as any turbulent time in history.) It speaks of God being within us, ready to help us. It speaks of a life-giving river (water is essential to life, so there is the hope of survival there!) It offers us perspective, since it too speaks of nations rising and kingdoms being in uproar (as we see today), yet it asserts confidently that God is still on His throne (‘he lifts his voice; the earth melts…’)

It would be foolish to persistently stand at a cliff-edge during a wild and windy storm, because the danger of falling is then very real. Yet this is often what we do, feeding our fears as we persist in listening obsessively to the news or as we persist in scrolling incessantly through social media. We need to step back from the cliff edge and run to God for safety and protection. We need to learn to be still and know that He is God. (Ps 46:10) This verse in the Message version says, “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, lasting look at me, your High God; above politics, above everything.”

When we do this, when we deliberately choose to focus our attention on God instead of on the tumultuous events all around us, we find strength, encouragement, peace and hope. Come away from the cliff-edge of doom today. Come to God.

Our Lent readings today look at two different men and how they approached and responded to Jesus. In Luke 18:18-23, we see a rich young man asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus pointed him to the commandments and the man affirmed his belief in these, but when Jesus asked him to give up his money and serve the poor, he was not willing. This was a step too far; he was not willing to let go of his man-made security and join Jesus on a journey of faith.

Zacchaeus, on the other hand, was desperate to follow Jesus. (Luke 19:1-10) A despised tax collector, he was willing to give up his profiteering and follow Jesus. For both men, what was on offer was a radically different way of life, a life where material possessions didn’t have the defining word. One man could not let go of his version of truth, where money and possessions defined him. The other realised that such things could not give him access to eternal life and so he let go of them.

Jesus is rightly called the Saviour, the author of salvation. But to be saved, we have to let go of everything which we used to think could save us and call on Him as the only One who can. For some, this may mean letting go of financial security. For others, it might mean letting go of a relationship or a job. For everyone, it will mean the opportunity to follow Jesus, but not everyone has the courage to take this step. The Easter story shows us that it is worth doing this, for when we follow Jesus, we can enter eternal life with God.

Today’s reading is from Jonah 3:1-10. I love the story of Jonah, the rebellious prophet, the godly man who didn’t really like the way God acted towards other people! Jonah was happy to receive God’s mercy, forgiveness and compassion for himself, but was unwilling to go to the people of Nineveh, because he didn’t feel they were worthy of God’s mercy, forgiveness and compassion. He ended up learning a lesson the hard way (from inside the belly of a great fish), because God is not one to show favouritism. All people can receive His mercy and grace; the message to repent which Jonah carried brought about repentance in the Ninevites and God was merciful to them.

It can be sobering to realise that Christians can become comfortable in their relationship with God and then can look down on others as being unworthy of having the same opportunity to know God. The truth is that no one is worthy of a relationship with God; we all receive the free gift of salvation in exactly the same way, by trusting in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Sharing the Easter story is important because all of us need to have the opportunity to repent, to turn back to God. For those who have received this free gift, we must learn, like Jonah, to be willing to pass it on.

As any parent knows, getting a child to ‘say sorry’ (and mean it!) is a difficult task. The child often fails to see that what they have done (snatching a toy from someone else, pushing someone unceremoniously away) is wrong, and even if they acknowledge that they have done wrong, they still don’t like the shame of admitting it and asking for forgiveness. Sally Welch says, ‘saying sorry is difficult; admitting guilt makes us feel small and ashamed; making restitution is costly.’ In our readings today (Acts 2:36-42), we see that we can never be made right with God without this first step of repentance. Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost brought conviction to many people who rightly asked what they then had to do. Peter’s command is blunt: ‘repent and be baptised.’ (Acts 2:38)

Though we may squirm at this first step, we find that when we do repent, we open the door to God’s blessings: ‘and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ (Acts 2:38) We can’t receive this gift if we are full of our own righteousness and pride, but once we empty ourselves of these things, our arms are open to receive God Himself! The U-turn implicit in repentance means we turn from our own ways of doing things and run towards God, finding that He is ready and waiting to accept us and not condemn us. Relationships are restored following repentance; there is a way forward.

Repentance is the start of our journey, but it is just the beginning. John the Baptist, who came to prepare the way for Jesus, urged people to live out their repentance (Matthew 3:1-11): ‘produce fruit in keeping with repentance.’ It isn’t enough merely to have a head knowledge of God; we must live out our faith in the real world, with all its ups and downs, difficulties and disasters.

Repentance may well involve restitution (giving back what we have stolen, making right what we have done wrong.) It may mean seeking someone out and asking for forgiveness. Repentance can feel uncomfortable to us, for it accepts the status quo has to change and it refuses to let us off the hook! Yet when we repent, there is freedom and joy, because finally we are doing things God’s way!