The horrors of the war in the Ukraine have reminded us of the depravity to which people can sink. We’ve witnessed great evil. But do you realise that the whole history of humankind is full of man’s inhumanity to man? And it stems from rebellion against God’s laws.

The wolf snarled down at the little lamb. It was about to pounce when, with trembling voice and amazing presence of mind, the lamb spoke: “Please, Mr Wolf, may I ask that before you end my life you carefully consider one or two things.”

Great Britain has made the headlines again. In September the world watched with admiration the spectacular pageantry of the funeral of Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-serving monarch; in October the world has watched with perplexity the resignation of Liz Truss, the country’s shortest-serving Prime Minister.

On Monday many millions of people across the world watched the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey. They listened as three passages from the Bible were read. They were each favourite funeral passages, because they each speak of the Christian hope of eternal life.