We are now in the season of Lent when we think of Jesus being led into the wilderness. He was tempted there to go away from the work God wanted him to do. He was tempted by the attraction of power, of wealth and honour.

The prophet Isaiah and the apostles Paul and Peter did great things for God. Yet each of them had an inferiority complex. They had a low opinion of themselves. They had low self esteem. They did not put themselves forward, but were still called by God. They accepted that call reluctantly, convinced that they were unworthy of it.

Writing this letter to you there are only 40 days left to Christmas. But there's still plenty of time to do everything that you traditionally do. By the time you read this, there'll be fewer little windows to open on your Advent Calendar and less time for your Advent Candle to burn down but, in the inimitable words of the late Clive Dunn from Dad’s Army : ‘Don’t Panic!’