I found Chris Mason’s analysis of the Chancellor’s Spring Statement extremely helpful, but I was a little surprised to find the BBC’s Political Editor suggesting ‘Trump means uncertainty is the new certainty for the UK’.

There are many who would argue that there is nothing new about uncertainty at all. They may agree that there is a rather unpredictable man in the White House, and because of that the speed and the extent of change seem to be unprecedented, but they would say life has always been full of uncertainty. Benjamin Franklin for example famously quipped ‘Nothing is certain except death and taxes’ more than two hundred years ago. Voltaire made the same point when he said doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.

Now I am not in the same league as those two intellectual giants, but I dare to claim that life can be full of certainty too - and for one simple reason: as a Christian I believe I can live in the light of some wonderful God-given certainties. And I’m not alone in believing this. People have been convinced of it since the days of the early church. Writing to a group of first century believers the writer of the Book of Hebrews for example told them faith is ‘the certainty of what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead’.

I thought it would be good to mention one of those certainties because it can prove a source of peace and confidence even in the most turbulent of times. If Jesus is Lord of all then we can rest assured that history is not out of control. Far from it! God is still in charge, and He is more than willing to intervene when He feels He should. Winston Churchill clearly understood this which is why he could publicly declare that there were times when he sensed ‘some Guiding Hand’ helping us when as a nation we were engaged in our titanic struggle against Nazism. In saying this of course he was merely echoing the sentiments of the Psalmist who famously said God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble’.

And so I could continue. But perhaps I should finish by pointing out that my faith is not credulous because it is grounded on the historical fact of the resurrection. Let me explain. I have the fragments of a spent sniper’s bullet to remind me that I am not deluded. I really did spend time in a church that was located in the middle of a battlefield. In the same way there is an empty tomb in Jerusalem to assure me that the Easter story is no fairy tale but the sure and sound foundation for the certainties that Christians hold dear. If only I had the space to list them all!