CREDIT: Photo Chad Burnett, via Flickr.

Once there was a man who went to prison, and as he lay in bed on his first night, he heard someone call out, “49”, which was then followed by laughter from all the other prisoners.

Then another prisoner called out, “26”, which was followed by even more laughs.

When the new prisoner asked what was happening, he was told that the inmates have heard every joke so many times that they’ve given each joke a number to make things simpler.

So, the new inmate called out, “23”, but nobody laughed.

When he asked why his joke didn’t get a laugh, they said, “it’s the way you told it.”

Some verses in the Bible are so well known that we just need to say the reference in order to bring to mind the word of comfort and assurance.

The reference “Romans 8:28” is one of them:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

When it feels like life is spinning out of control, we must remember, “Romans 8:28”.

When we are uncertain about the future, we can tell each other, “Romans 8:28”.

When things happen that are hard to accept, we can assure each other by saying, “Romans 8:28”.

We need to remember that God works in all things for the good of those who love him, and we are right to find great comfort in this assurance.

We never know what is in store for us, but we must always remember that nothing takes God by surprise.

And you can be sure that “Romans 8:28” will be a great source of comfort and assurance, no matter how you tell it.

JODIE McNEILL

The Archbishop of Sydney’s Anglican Aid has launched an appeal to help communities hit by the crippling drought in Western New South Wales.

The public appeal will raise funds to provide resources to churches in North and Western New South Wales, which are already dealing with requests for practical support for families impacted by what, in many places, is the worst drought since 1900.

99 percent of the state is now officially in drought and although the New South Wales government has launched an assistance package for farmers, the Vicar-General of the Armidale Diocese, the Rev Brian Kirk says “the suddenness of this drought has caught many by surprise.”

Mr Kirk says any help will be much appreciated by rural families.

He particularly has asked Christians to pray for rain, for farming families and businesses in rural communities, for farmers to make wise decisions and that Christians will not lose their faith in God.

Mr Kirk says clergy and church members are proactively offering assistance to farming families by providing food and clothing vouchers and visiting to provide practical and pastoral support.

Among the practical assistance is free labour to assist with the feeding of stock, maintenance and everyday chores as well as providing free drought dinners.

Funds donated through the Anglican Aid appeal will be disbursed through the Anglican Dioceses of Armidale and Bathurst which cover much of the most heavily drought-affected areas.

For more information about how to give to this appeal, visit www.anglicanaid.org.auor phone 9284 1406.