Andy Millership, Narberth

It’s so hard to choose a few verses; we are talking about God’s word and, with that in mind, who am I to pick and choose? But the fact that there are some passages that do have a particularly special meaning for us or stand out for all sorts of reasons is testament to just how wonderful the love of God is to me as an individual. He knows me more than I know myself and He is aware of when I have specific needs and loves me enough to give me blessing and encouragement to answer each and every one of my deficiencies tenderly and lovingly as my Father.

Which verses would you take to the desert island?

I suppose that for the majority of people the text that was instrumental in their salvation would come pretty high on a list of priorities but for me this text quickly led on to another passage which developed the enormity of what God had done for me and floored me in an instant (and consistently continues to do so).

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason that the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:1-2

I am God’s son! It is not open to question by me or anyone else – that is what I am. And when I am struggling and when I am being given a hard time, it is because I am God’s son! I don’t know what tomorrow has to offer, be that being lonely on a desert island or in deepest, darkest Pembrokeshire, but He does and His love for me doesn’t waiver one iota. But, ultimately, when He appears, my useless, pitiful attempts at glorifying Him or purifying myself from the devastating taint within will be done with. This feeble excuse for a Christian and a human being will be like Him, pure and spotless and righteous and holy!

That is a help in times of trouble. That helps me to pray and praise Him. That is a help when I am lonely and that is something that will give me hope and strength and peace until he appears.

Who would you like to find on the island for company?

I don’t know what he was like as a preacher but having read through collections of his letters and seen from them what a wonderful pastor he was, how great would it be to have John Newton on the island? The fact that he had so much real and somewhat extreme life experience I am sure added depth and reality to his faith. I think someone with the patience that saw him minister to a man as troubled as William Cowper would be a good thing as far as I, with all my own idiosyncrasies and hang-ups, would be concerned.

John Newton 1725-1807

Which song would you take to the island?

I really love “In Eden sad indeed that day” (funeral hymn #1) but that’s only 2 verses long so I think I will choose something for my own encouragement in looking past today’s hardship and on to tomorrow’s glory. How about some Robert Rowland Roberts?

Far off I see the goal;
O Saviour, guide me;
I feel my strength is small;
Be Thou beside me:
With vision ever clear,
With love that conquers fear,
And grace to persevere,
O Lord, provide me.

Whene’er Thy way seems strange,
Go Thou before me;
And, lest my heart should change,
O Lord, watch o’er me;
But should my faith prove frail,
And I through blindness fail,
O let Thy grace prevail,
And still restore me.

Should earthly pleasures wane,
And joy forsake me,
If lonely hours of pain
At length o’ertake me,
My hand in Thine hold fast
Till sorrow be o’erpast,
And gentle death at last
For heaven awake me.

There with the ransomed throng

Who praise for ever
The love that made them strong
To serve for ever,
I too would see Thy face,
Thy finished work retrace,
And magnify Thy grace,
Redeemed for ever.