Hello, my friends.

I read the opinion piece in the Helensburgh Advertiser by Ian Miller, suggesting we need the NHS more than Trident. While I don’t share all of his political views, I do agree we should highly value and support our National Health Service, especially after what our country has been through with the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the same time, we cannot ignore the need to defend our nation. Russian patrol planes and bombers regularly test UK airspace, and the RAF Quick Reaction Alert teams have to scramble almost monthly to intercept them. In a dangerous world, a strong defence, including the nuclear deterrent at Faslane, is important.

Right now, many sailors and their families here in Helensburgh are making real sacrifices. The sailors are on the front line keeping our submarines ready, while their families are often far from loved ones and dealing with lockdown restrictions.

In these uncertain times with rumours of wars, we need wisdom. As Christians, our ultimate hope is not in weapons or political solutions, but in the Lord. The Bible tells us to pray for those in authority and to seek peace, but it also recognises the reality of living in a fallen world.

I believe we should support both a strong health service and a responsible defence of our nation. Above all, let’s pray for spiritual leadership in our country — leaders who fear God and seek His wisdom.

May the Lord protect our nation, bless those who serve in the armed forces and the NHS, and draw many hearts to Himself in these difficult days.

God bless you,

Peter