Nowadays you find this slogan printed on tea towels, mugs, fridge magnets and notebooks but as you may know 'Keep Calm & Carry On' was a motivational poster produced by the British Government in 1939 in preparation for World War II. The poster was intended to raise the morale of the British public threatened with widely predicted mass air attacks on major cities.
As our country is again in uncertain times it’s easy to watch the news, hear about the lack of food in the shops and of course the threat to our lives and become overwhelmed, worried and distressed.
Some might think that today's pandemic is nothing like the horrors the country faced in 1939 but others might feel that a war mentality is needed.
However the good news is that because of our relationship with Jesus we can carry on (although perhaps not as normal) and most importantly, we can keep calm.
The Government’s 1939 slogan ‘Keep Calm & Carry On’ and today’s slogan ‘Stay Home. Protect the NHS, Save Lives’ can change our feelings, behaviours and lives. However, many years before these slogans, God spoke words to us to change our lives but they are not just slogans to make us feel better and motivate us. They are the Word of God. When we choose to accept these words as the truth, choose to believe them and live our lives accordingly we will find calm, peace and hope throughout our lives and especially in times of uncertainly and difficulty. We can ‘Keep Calm’ and know God’s peace in our lives.
So perhaps a better slogan for today would be Keep Calm and Trust God.
Here are a couple of God’s ‘slogans’ for you to meditate on and perhaps print on your own tea towel!
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14 v27
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4 v 6 -7