Dear Friends
Welcome to the month of June. The Sun is warming, birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and the garden is growing. Coming swiftly after Easter, Ascension Sunday and Pentecost, June reminds us that we are nearly halfway through 2026.
June is surprisingly known for when honey production reaches its peak in the UK. Honey is currently experiencing increased demand exceeding £50 million and is forecast to grow over five years. Honey has strong wellbeing and health properties. Perhaps that is why the Bible has a lot to say about honey.
Psalm 119:103 cites: “How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey”. The words spoken by the Psalmist point towards the wisdom of God. God’s Word makes us wise – wiser than our enemies and wiser than the teachers who ignore it. They exceed the wellbeing and health properties of honey. True wisdom goes beyond amassing knowledge. Its application impacts everything in a life changing way. Effective wisdom allows God’s teaching to guide us. In the same chapter, we read: “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path”. The secret to God’s wisdom is accepting and exercising His teaching one step at a time, one day at a time.
The same spirit that guides us with wisdom, which empowered disciples of Christ, also empowers us. We have become risk takers as our faith in God grows to become positive examples, good neighbours with growing self-awareness. Yes, some of us do have our challenges, struggles and life can sometimes be imperfect. However, we persevere by faith knowing that, to navigate life’s pathways, “Joy will come in the morning”. That is wisdom.
We celebrated Pentecost Sunday last month, the birthday of Church, in memory of those who, gathered together, suddenly heard a sound from heaven nearly 2,000 years ago like a strong wind which filled their house resulting in tongues like fire resting on them. The Bible narrative’s language from the 2nd chapter of Acts reflects stories of God’s appearance and affirms John the Baptist’s earlier message – that Jesus would baptise with the Holy Spirit and Fire. Such life changing experiences of the Holy Spirit continues in us.
Perseverance in faith leads to positive ministry outcomes. For example, which Christian had the boldness to go to prison in China for 20 years rather than reject the gospel? Who shared the gospel with primitive Alaskan tribes (and built schools and resourced them with Liberian cows)? Our Parish hand delivered 2,200 magazines of John’s Gospel across local residential homes. We regularly served parents of little toddlers and young people each month. In the words of Bobby Bowden, “God doesn’t want your ability – he wants your availability”. We shouldn’t be surprised at these achievements and missions because of our personal faith in God, which creates availability. God does the rest!
Another feature of God’s wisdom is of the eternity created by virtue of the Ecclesiastes 3:11 reading: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end”. This wisdom not only inspires availability, but points us to eternity in our hearts
The Word of God therefore far exceeds the health and wellbeing properties of honey because it enables wisdom, availability and eternity. In the words of Billy Graham: “Knowledge is horizontal. Wisdom is vertical – it comes down from above.” Hallelujah!
I hope you are able to enjoy the warm weather of June, the taste of honey ?as you feast of more of God’s wisdom. If you have any spare time on a Sunday in June, do join us for Sunday Worship from 10am.
Stay blessed with love
Reverend Rickey Simpson-Gray
Parish of Wokingham St Sebastian’s
A Prayer for June
Dear Lord
Strike the rock of our hearts,
and let our tears of joy and sorrow mould us ,
to be bear the imprint of your love
given in Christ our risen Lord.
for your Name’s sake.
Amen