What a great location to have the G7 Summit in our beautiful South West venue of Cornwall and with such glorious weather for the weekend of Friday 11th June - Sunday 13th June 2021.

There has obviously been much media attention from around the world focused on this important gathering of national leaders at such a time as this, with how we as a global people might recover from the devastating coronavirus pandemic.

As with previous Summits there is a variety of expectation as to what will be addressed and achieved in regards the urgent matters of our times. We are all too aware that this year and last year have been an unprecedented period of global crisis! 

Therefore now more than ever our hopes and fears are being directed to the leaders of our nations as they address economic recovery, global resilience, foreign policy, health, open societies, climate and nature and many other matters.

The hope and bold claim from this weekend summit is to make key progress in Building Back Better in the areas already mentioned, and so we wait to see what will happen in the coming weeks and months.

Building Back Better is a matter that Jesus Christ clearly had much to speak on and demonstrate throughout his life, death, resurrection, ascension and promised return!

In fact one very significant snapshot that relates to what we are focusing on here, is when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey as recorded in the Bible in Luke 19:28-48. In this passage there are three key moments that are highlighted as follows: 1) Jesus’ triumphant entry, 2) Jesus weeping over Jerusalem & 3) Jesus clearing the Temple. There is much that could be focused on in each of these scenes, but I would like to quote the shocking words that Jesus speaks over Jerusalem as he gets near and begins weeping over the City and its people. Here is what Jesus says:

"How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.” (Luke 19:42 NLT).

Too late is a particularly sad statement and yet the one (Jesus Christ) who is described in the Bible as the Prince of Peace, is still inviting the peoples of all nations (including us in the UK) to turn to him first and foremost as the ultimate source of Building Back Better. For he also described himself as the way, the truth and the life. Now none of our nations leaders can make that same claim and back it up as Jesus has done!

So will you and I awake to his invitation afresh today at such a time as this and make peace with Jesus Christ?

For he has promised that if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness (1 John 1:9 in the Bible)

Now that is a promise worth trusting in as the ultimate way and foundation of Building Back Better.

Patrick Barker

Tiverton Baptist Church