In today's GB News Daily Reflection, we look at the question of whether we're alone in the universe, or whether there's other life out there."At the end of Matthew's gospel, Jesus's final words to his followers before returning to heaven were these: 'Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age when we're in the valley, as it were, suffering, scared, or struggling in whatever way we might wish, God would just give us a ticket out of that."He doesn't offer that, but he does offer this to be a friend in the valley and to give us a future beyond it. And for anyone who has come to call God my Shepherd, it's the most exquisite comfort, and it makes all the difference in the world to know that we are not alone.'"
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00:00The Chibi News Daily Reflection
00:04Hi, I'm Chris Tufnell, the vicar of Utterbridge Parish Church.
00:10Many people are fascinated by the question of whether we're alone in the universe
00:16or whether there's other life out there.
00:19It's a question that occupies scientists pouring over the data from their telescopes
00:24and maybe sci-fi fans as well.
00:27But far more important to far more people
00:30is the question of whether or not we're alone in this world,
00:35in the day-to-day and in the challenges of life.
00:38I think it's why so often when people ask me to preach at a funeral,
00:43they ask me to speak on Psalm 23.
00:46The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing, he makes me lie down in green pastures,
00:50he leads me beside quiet waters.
00:52And this is the key line.
00:54Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
00:58I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
01:03Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
01:06And I think it's why at the end of Matthew's Gospel,
01:09Jesus' final words to his followers before returning to heaven were these,
01:14Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
01:19When we're in the valley, as it were, suffering, scared or struggling in whatever way,
01:27we might wish God would just give us a ticket out of there.
01:31He doesn't offer that, but he does offer this,
01:35to be a friend in the valley and to give us a future beyond it.
01:40And for anyone who has come to call God my shepherd,
01:45it's the most exquisite comfort,
01:48and it makes all the difference in the world to know that we are not alone.