Aground - Pastor's Pen for 12th April 2026

Rum-Go aground at Milford Beach

I'm pretty sure the skipper of the yacht Rum-Go didn't plan for it to be on Milford Beach on Monday morning. Better than being dashed on rocks I'm guessing. Driving past Murray's Bay on Tuesday, the wind seemed even worse, smashing waves over the raised causeway.

A lot of things appear to be a bit off course at the moment. The economy, cost of living, fuel security, adverse weather, the state of the world. It makes me feel like I've run aground, I don't know what to do. In situations of stress I don't tend to be a 'fight or flight' kind of guy. I'm more likely to freeze, to run aground, to get stuck.

Today (Wednesday), the US president threatens "a whole civilisation will die tonight" as hundreds of Iranians gather to form human shields at the civilian infrastructure sites like bridges and power plants he plans to target. Later, apparently there is now a two week ceasefire. World leaders are unsure how to deal with a president like this who presents as an erratic, inarticulate, profane would-be emperor and potential war criminal who really had no plan for what is unfolding. Those who should have seen this coming, didn't - they turned a blind eye. In the same Easter week, the White House spiritual adviser compared Trump to Jesus. A blasphemy in my view. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.

If anxiety about the world runs me aground, what am I to do? It is a small word play to get from aground to grounded. I remember I am grounded in God, grounded in Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit. I turn to prayer and the one "who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." (Eph 3:20)

So I invite you to pray with me for the peace of the world. This week, Pope Leo said at a peace forum; "War is never holy, only peace is holy, because it is willed by God...wars only escalate, woe to those who try to drag God into taking sides in wars!" Let us be a people who pray and work for peace and justice in our neighbourhood, in Aotearoa and in the wider world. We are not run aground, we are grounded in God. Shalom