Invaders

The other Sunday, by way of illustration, we noted in a service the countries of the world that Britain had not invaded.

NOT invaded.

I imagine this supposed fact is open to considerable historical controversy but it doesn't need to be exactly right to be very telling. Invasion includes more negotiated occupations of nations too.  Just 22 nations have avoided British boots.

Here is Stuart Laycock's short list of the only countries Britain has not invaded in case you haven't used the link above.

 Andorra

Belarus

Bolivia

Burundi

Central African Republic

Chad

Congo, Republic of

Guatemala

Ivory Coast

Kyrgyzstan

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Mali

Marshall Islands

Monaco

Mongolia

Paraguay

Sao Tome and Principe

Sweden

Tajikistan

Uzbekistan

Vatican City

 

Stuart, probably wisely, abrogated all moral judgment about his list and described it as a bitt of fun.   In doing so he was probably neatly reflecting the sense of responsibility most modern Britons feel for the past, though this Sunday we like to remember some noble victories over nasty enemies in the last century.

 

It creates quite an alarming image when the nations stand before the throne of God's judgment.  In my mind's eye I imagine all these peoples being questioned about their responsibilities for the nationally and ethnically inspired wrongs amid humankind's history - and frequently seeing them pointing over at, er, us.

 

No wonder we stop and pray and think about the wars of the world.

International

Someone visiting our Church the other week remarked, "It's very international, isn't it?"  Whilst technology changes at breath-taking speed, the make up of Wycombe has been changing just as fast.  And because the British have lost their love for God the Church is changing more rapidly even than the High Street.  Scarcely a week goes by when I am not writing a Welcome Letter to someone with a name that certainly doesn't owe its origin to the Anglo-Saxons.

 

It struck me forcibly a few weeks ago when we went to lunch with some people from the Church.  Our family was born in England; one was from Africa, one from North America, two from Central America, one from Oceania.

 

In fact it struck me that the mix of people in our Church is more international than in the International Church we visited on vacation.

 

On September 11 it is good to realise that although the world is full of differences it is also full of people with shared lives, including those whose destiny lies beyond nationality in a Heavenly City with gates in every direction.