Sunday 28 February, Second Sunday of Lent +++ A long walk with God

 

Psalm22.23-31│Genesis 17.1-7,15-16│Romans 4.13-25│Mark 8.31-38

Psaumes 22.23-31|Genèse 17.1-7,15-16 |Romains4.13-25 |Marc 8.31-38

 

A long walk with God

 

'Abraham, Sarah, and the Angel' by Jan Provoost, 1462-1525/29, Louvre Museum, Paris

Web Gallery of Art:   Image  Info about artwork, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15417197

Looking at this passage from the Old Testament; God appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘….I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. ² And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.’ In this verse was a covenant or promise of multiple blessings.

 

Just as God called Abram, He is also inviting us on a long walk with him during this Lent. The Lord wants us to begin a life long journey with Him that will last for eternity. A walk of Obedience, trust, faith and blessings. To be blameless - means to be obedient to his words as we walk with Him and be totally renewed (Psalms 119:105). Lent is to be a time of reflection and contemplation, but it is also to be a time to enjoy some intimate time and relationship with God. God talking, us listening and us talking and God listening! He wants to walk before, beside and behind us. He wants to share in all our ups and downs. 

 

Faith is to be our everyday watchword as we walk with the Lord. Faith will open up the doors of a new life and blessings for us and all those around us. Like Abraham, our personal walk with God can bring blessings to those who are around us. 

 

So during this season of Lent we are:

 

1.     Invited to begin a walk with God that will never end, an everlasting walk. We are also invited to share a sacred space and time with the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, through the word, prayer and meditation.

2.     Invited to walk with God to experience a whole new life, that brings us close to God and enables us to learn how to walk a life of righteousness and holiness.

3.     And finally, we are invited to become a source of blessings to others around us. We can be the beneficiary of God’s blessings, miracles and anointing in our own life, the life of our family, friends and for generations to come.

 

As we walk along the paths of Lent this year, let us remember that our walk is not in vain. The parts that God has chosen for us to walk with him are the ones He has created for us to walk with Him. 

 

Grace West Adenekan

Saturday 27 February, Lesser Festival of George Herbert, Priest, Poet, 1633 +++ Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest

 

Psalm1│Malachi 2.5-7│Revelation 19.5-9│Matthew 11.25-30

Psaumes 1|Malachie 2.5-7 |Apocalypse 19.5-9 |Matthieu 11.25-30

Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest

This famous invitation from Jesus comes about halfway through Matthew’s telling of his ministry.   Previous chapters contain his teachings and incredible healings.   And yet despite the powerful words and the miracles, many did not choose to believe.

 

In today’s passage Jesus acknowledges that understanding his truth is not a matter of intellect (‘you have hidden these things from the wise and learned’).  And he gives us a glimpse of the source of his power and love in the intimacy between the Father and the Son.

 

And then he issues that beautiful, gentle and timeless invitation … Come to me….

 

God will not force our faith,  and love cannot be imposed, only offered.

 

Often we find ourselves holding back from God,  we feel we should clean ourselves up before trying to look him full in the face.  Or that we should read up a bit more, be more knowledgeable about this God-stuff before getting in too deep.

 

But that’s the point.  In his supreme understanding of our humanity, Jesus knows that life is heavy, that we often feel tired, confused, small, weighed-down, never quite meeting the necessary standard.

 

While the world speaks of self-improvement and productivity, Jesus – eternally radical -  offers us rest for our souls.

 

So,  come on friends.   That invitation is for each one of us.    Whether you’re a ‘mature Christian’ or a newbie,  let’s keep it simple today,  and admit how weary and burdened we are.

 

It’s time to let ourselves be loved.

 

Mags Bird

 

The George Herbert Memorial window at the Church of St Andrew, Bemerton, nr. Salisbury

By Weglinde - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19881004

Editor’s note: George Herbert (3 April 1593 – 1 March 1633) was a Welsh-born poet, orator, and priest of the Church of England. His poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets.. He went to Cambridge in 1609, intending to be a priest, but instead he became the University's Public Orator. He served in the Parliament of England in 1624 and briefly in 1625.

 

Herbert gave up his secular ambitions in his mid-thirties and took holy orders in the Church of England, spending the rest of his life as the rector of the rural parish of Fugglestone St Peter, just outside Salisbury. He was noted for unfailing care for his parishioners, bringing the sacraments to them when they were ill and providing food and clothing for those in need. Henry Vaughan called him ‘a most glorious saint and seer’. He was never a healthy man and died of consumption at age 39. (From Wikipedia).

Friday 26 February +++ God is with us

 

Psalm22│Jeremiah 6.22-30│Galatians 5.16-26│John 6.16-27

Psaumes 22|Jérémie 6.22-30 |Galates 5.16-26 |Jean 6.16-27

 

'Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee' by Jan Brueghel the Elder, 1568-1625, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Spain

By Jan Brueghel the Elder - Web Gallery of Art:   Image  Info about artwork, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6924424

St John is telling us about the occasion when Jesus’ disciples found themselves in a storm on Lake Galilee, after the feeding of the five thousand, and Jesus came to them over the water. The sea was calmed and they completed their journey to Capernaum.

 

Before the disciples left in the boat, we learn that the crowds wanted to make Jesus king, but that he withdrew to a mountain by himself. And from St Matthew we learn that Jesus actually compelled the disciples to get in the boat and leave. Jesus had a long-term plan, which was incompatible with the short-term aspirations of the crowds. Jesus eschewed the adoration of the crowds to be with God. As a metaphor, this is a powerful message to all of us: we should not be distracted by short-term goals and should instead have a long-term plan to follow God, whatever that may mean for each one of us. In the case of the disciples on that night it was to get in a boat and face the fury of the storm. Those of us who sail know how terrifying it is to be on a small boat in heavy seas, even when one knows what to do; and all of us face analogous situations sooner or later in life. We can also imagine the plight of refugees who cross the seas in flimsy boats, only to face even more hardship when they survive. But at those difficult moments, no matter whether we find ourselves facing them through accident or through choice, we are told that Jesus will be with us, as He was with the disciples on that stormy night. In the English translation, Jesus says ‘It is I’, but in the Greek text the words are ‘I am’ (‘Εγώ ειμί’), echoing Jesus’ amazing statements about who He is.

 

We find the same comfort in the midst of adversity in the wonderful words of Psalm 22. We may feel abandoned, but we know that God is near: “But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.” “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord.” And what better way is there to remind ourselves of this wonderful truth than Luther’s hymn, ‘Ein feste Burg is unser Gott’, and Bach’s setting in cantata BWV 80: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6dPv7W80yk.

 

Nicholas Deliyanakis

Thursday 25 February +++ Thirsty souls

 

Psalm42│Jeremiah 6.9-21│Galatians 5.2-15│John 6.1-15

Psaumes 42| Jérémie 6.9-21| Galates 5.2-15| Jean 6.1-15

 

Thirsty souls

 

These 40 days of Lent give us the opportunity to contemplate on what Jesus really did for us on the Cross. What it cost Him, so we could be redeemed and reunited with Him.  As we observe these days of Lent, we can anticipate an invitation to experience deeper intimacy with the Him.

 

'Thirsty deer at Kanha Tiger Reserve'

By Minku2016 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49538556

May the first words of Psalm 42 describe the depth and intensity of our hearts during these days…” As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come before the presence of God?”

 

As we explore our own souls, we can ask, how desperate are we for His presence?  How can we live, without experiencing His presence? Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us pour out our souls before Him.

 

Psalm 42 is the honest expression of the anguish of a soul wrestling before God…“Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul, and why are you so disquieted within me?” As we pour out our souls, the Holy Spirit will help us remember, who the Lord is, all He has done for us, and His unfailing love… “therefore I will remember You…” 

 

This day let’s thirst for His presence and meditate on the One, who loved us all the way to the Cross.  So we too, will say to our souls… “put your trust in God; for I will yet give Him thanks…”

 

Kay Zahasky

Wednesday 24 February +++ Preparing for the harvest

Psalm 6│Jeremiah 5.20-31│Galatians 4.21-5.1│John 5.30-47

Psaumes 6 |Jérémie 5.20-31| Galates 4.21-5.1|Jean 5.30-47

Preparing for the harvest

 

'The harvest' by Camille Pissarro, 1830-1903, Musée d'art Bridgestone, Tokyo, Japan

Par Camille Pissarro — Source inconnue, Domaine public, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2026933

Jeremiah 5:20-31 is not an easy passage. As we read it, we might struggle to identify how it relates to us and we might want to distance ourselves from it. It refers to “stubborn and rebellious hearts”, people that have “turned aside and gone away”, and a corrupt nation where “the prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way”. There are a couple of verses, however, that should speak directly to our hearts in these challenging times: “the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest. Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good”. The Lord gives us suitable seasons for the harvest, He gives us what we need when it is needed, even when we do not know why it is needed. But we must not forget the hand of God.

 

Just as during the wet and grey Brussels autumn we struggle to find a reason for all that rain, so we now have a hard time understanding why we are being tested by this season of hardship. In the last year, our lives have been challenged by COVID-19 restrictions and it has been easier than ever to forget that the Lord is good. God is with us, not against us. God assures us what we need, and we need to trust that the weeks of harvest will come after this time of struggle. 

 

The passage ends with a question that we can’t avoid: “But what will you do in the end?”. What will you do in the end? Originally, these words may be construed as a challenge to those who defy the Lord. Perhaps they remain so, and we cannot afford to forget the consequences of our own greed. However, I also see this as both invitation and opportunity: a reminder that, while we wait for the season of harvest, we can choose to live out our days with love for God and neighbours, instead of anger for the season of rain. The fact that it is posed as a question allows us - no matter our past - to side with the oppressed, fight for justice, and proliferate good. Out of His sheer love for us, He will always give us that choice; all we need to do is accept His invitation. 

 

Anna De Marchi

Tuesday 23 February, Lesser Festival of Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, Martyr, c.155

 

Psalm3│2 Chronicles 24.17-21│Revelation 2.8-11│Matthew 10.16-22

Psaumes 3|2 Chroniques 24.17-21 |Apocalypse 2.8-11 |Matthieu 10.16-22

Polykarp, Ferdinand Edvard Ring 1884, Frederikskirken, Marmorkirken, Frederikstaden, København

By Orf3us - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11582085

 The word “martyr” is not necessarily a very nice one nowadays. It may evoke a person, perhaps a mother, continuously reminding others about their personal sacrifices and sufferings and in that way manipulating the people around them. Or perhaps someone, perhaps a politician, arousing sympathy for themselves and their ideas (perhaps even very strange ideas) simply by being an underdog, or at least appearing to be one in the eyes their friends and Twitter-followers. Or perhaps even a religious fanatic blowing themselves up in the middle of a crowd in a hateful religious war. “Martyr” – a word whose connotations have become so twisted, connotations of desperation, egocentrism, manipulation, vanity, falsehood, of holding on to ourselves, of craving attention, of doing everything to be seen by others, remembered by others, acknowledged by others, of not accepting one’s littleness as a human, one’s mortality and futility. It makes me think of a fist, tense of desperation. 

“Throw it away” sung by Abbey Lincoln, illustrating the attitude of the open hand.

https://youtu.be/j2OO3vuk3r4

When the original meaning of the word is actually “witness”. Someone who simply reports what they have seen and experienced truthfully, regardless of the consequences. Someone who loves truth more than life. Someone pointing beyond themselves, transparent, like a window. It makes me think of an open hand, sowing seeds.  

 

And the martyr of today, Polycarp, who gave his life in the arena of Smyrna around the year 155, didn’t do it in vain. His sacrifice bore much fruit. That’s actually what his name means: “much fruit”. We are this fruit! He and other martyrs held on to faith in the face of oppression, accepted the lot of death and in that way glorified the name of Jesus not only to the people of their own generation but also of the generations to come, even among us who live two millennia further down the road. 

 

Sara Gabrielsson

Monday 22 February +++ Move Forward

 

Psalm 11│Jeremiah 4.19-31│Galatians 3.23-4.7│John 5.1-18

Psaumes 11|Jérémie 4.19-31|Galates 3.23-4.7 |Jean 5.1-18

Move forward

Do you ever feel you have been left behind?  Perhaps you have those moments where it feels like life is changing for others but not for you - and it is not for want of trying - but you feel stuck, treading water, while others are swimming away...

'Christ Healing the Sick at the Pool of Bethesda' by Pedro Orrente, 1580-1645, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria

From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56901 [retrieved February 14, 2021]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pedro_Orrente_-_Christ_Healing_the_Sick_at_the_Pool_of_Bethesda_-_KHM_Vienna.jpg.

For our 38 year old invalid at the Pool of Bethesda this was an everyday reality.  He literally could not move forward  - he could not get into the pool as others were always there before him - and he was alone - there was no one to help him, to get him to front of the queue.. so he felt stuck.. until Jesus came along.

Jesus says little really to this man - he ask him if he wants to be well - and then gives him commands - Get up - Pick up your mat - and walk.  3 commands, 3 actions.  Jesus takes the man way beyond the front of the queue - he gives the invalid a new life - one directed by Jesus, authored by Jesus and led by Jesus.  The man is no longer alone, he is no longer at the back of the queue, he is no longer immobile.  He turned to Jesus and Jesus gave him what he needed - and more than he needed.  Jesus brought purpose and action into this life.

When we feel stuck, do we turn to Jesus?  Do we trust in Jesus' knowledge of what we need and the timing he has in mind?  If we feel a call to action from Jesus are we ready to follow it, even if we are not sure what or why?

What three commands does Jesus have for us during this time of Lent?  What is our equivalent of get Up, Pick up your mat and walk?  Are we listening, ready to move forward as Jesus commands?

Amen

Heather Roy

Sunday 21 February, First Sunday of Lent +++ O Heart within my heart

Psalm25.1-9│Genesis 9.8-17│1 Peter 3.18-22│Mark1.9-15

Psaumes 25.1-9|Genèse 9.8-17|1 Pierre3.18-22|Marc 1.9-15

To You, O Love, I lift up my soul! 

O Heart within my heart, 

in You I place my trust. 

Let me not feel unworthy; 

let not fear rule over me. 

Yes! May all who open their hearts

savor You and bless the earth! 

Compel me to know your ways, O Love; 

instruct me upon your paths. 

Lead me in your truth, 

           and teach me, 

for through You will I know 

           wholeness: 

I shall reflect your Light 

both day and night. 

I know of your mercy, Blessed one, 

and of your unconditional Love; 

You have been with me

           from the beginning. 

Forgive the many times I have walked 

           away from You

choosing to follow my own will.

I seek your guidance, once again, 

I yearn to know your Peace. 

Companion me as I open to your Will!

You are gracious and just, 

           O Spirit of Truth, 

happy to guide those who

           miss their way;

(A translation of Psalm 25 by Nan C. Merrill   Psalms for Praying: an invitation to wholeness)

'Humility', 20th century, Cathedral of Notre Dame, Lausanne, Switzerland

From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56697 [retrieved February 16, 2021]. Original source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/quinnanya/14480260277 - Quinn Dombrowski.

Might this be my prayer to begin Lent this year? Can I sing or say this Psalm as my personal prayer to Love - to God? There is an intimacy and a vulnerability expressed in the words of the Psalmist that cause me to ponder whether I might be able to find that kind of intimacy with God this Lent. 

‘O Heart within my heart’ 

What do I need to do - today - to make the time and space in my day to allow myself to become aware of God’s heart within my own?

‘In you I place my trust’. 

How do those words sit with me? Do I find it easy or difficult to place my trust in God? Might that be something I want to explore over the next forty days? 

‘Let me not feel unworthy; let not fear rule over me’.

What about the desire expressed here? Do I suffer from low self-esteem at the moment? Are there fears that are consuming me? What might help me to focus on what is good and abundant in my life rather than the areas of scarcity and fear?

In the time remaining for your meditation today, I invite you to read the Psalm again and find a line or two that speaks particularly to you. Explore how your response to that line might shape the beginning of your Lenten journey. 

Catriona Laing

Saturday 20 February +++ Hope and Joy

Psalm71│Jeremiah 4.1-18│Galatians 3.15-22│John 4.43-54

 Psaumes 71 | Jérémie 4.1-18 | Galates 3.15-22 |Jean 4.43-54

Hope and Joy

 

Refuge and Comfort, are two words that cradle and hold this Psalm for me. Specifically, "Be my rock of refuge" (.. to which I can always go") directs me towards the strength (and safety) that God has for us during the dark times -  of winter, of the hardships Coronavirus has brought upon us in various forms, of the difficulties that life can bring. 

 

Refuge is mentioned three times..

 

Just as the seasons have their cycles, so too do we see a movement towards a spring of hope and lighter times to come. Are we reminded that the dark times will pass? For me, this is marked by the slightly longer days and the hope that vaccines bring. Seasons of life are also featured here where David calls out (to God) at a time of fragility of his years and reinforces his commitment to pass on the message of salvation to the next generation.

''Harbour of Refuge' by Frederick Walker, 1840-1875, Tate Britain, London

From Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=55990 [retrieved February 9, 2021]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frederick_Walker_-_The_Harbour_of_Refuge_(1872).jpg.

There is a definite shift towards light and hope, through Praise in this Psalm (Praise features six times).  The Psalm ends with an overall feeling of hope, and joy. Just as we seasonally move towards lighter days so too do I feel a strong sense of joy as God lights the way. 

 

Sara Nigro

Friday 19 February +++ Come…see….hear

 

Psalm 3│Jeremiah3.6-22│Galatians 3.1-14│John 4.27-42

Psaume 3|Jérémie 3.6-22|Galates 3.1-14|Jean 4.27-42

Come…see….hear

The Samaritan woman at the well has just had a life changing encounter with Jesus. She hasn’t got her theology completely sorted out but she’s heard enough to rush back to town, leaving her water jar behind – the very reason she was at the well. She wants to tell others - ‘Come, see a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Could this be the Messiah?’ Her simple invitation spilled out from her own experience and Jesus did the rest. He spoke to others from the town and they believed, not just because of what she had said, but because they had heard for themselves and knew that Jesus really is the Saviour of the world. 

''Christ and the Samaritan Woman' by Sébastien Bourdon, 1616-1671, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

By Attributed to Domenico Ghirlandaio - Web Gallery of Art:   Image  Info about artwork, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4539476

In today’s passage in the letter to the Galatians Paul asks twice whether they have received the Spirit by works of the law or by believing what they heard. 

Whether we are highly trained theologians, or brand new followers of Jesus, or somewhere in between, we can all invite others to come and see and hear. Maybe it’s a bit easier at the moment when we don’t even have to ask them to leave their homes to come to church or a homegroup or an online event!  

Who can I invite to come, see and hear?

                                                                                                                

Susie Wilkinson

Thursday 18 February +++ Self-awareness

Psalm 77│Jeremiah 2.14-32│Galatians2.11-21│John 4.1-26

Psaume 77 |Jérémie 2.14-32 |Galates 2.11-21 |Jean 4.1-26

Self-awareness

In the context of a Psalm that tugs between abandonment and salvation, it is almost too easy to remark on these very feelings in the midst of a pandemic. Yet, for that same reason, it is a timely reminder. 

 

Pandemic or none, we may all encounter crippling struggles, anxiety-inducing doubts, and myriad fears pushing us to believe that we have been left alone. Forsaken, forgotten, and decimated by the impact of loss, pain, grief, or any combination of the most gut-wrenching emotions. If this resonates with you, I am sorry for the difficulties you endure and the burdens you carry. Please remember that it is okay to not be okay – and acknowledge that these challenges may not be solved by simply remembering the Lord. 

 

“Has his unfailing love vanished forever? 

Has his promise failed for all time?”

 

We are entering a time when those around us – in person and online – are acknowledging a critical shift in the way we approach life. But how fundamental has this shift been, really? Have we each taken the time to consider how we can – and should – be prioritizing our focus on what we need and want to do? Between meeting deadlines, cooking dinner, catching up with the 10th friend on Zoom this week, and everything in between, have we given ourselves the opportunity to take stock of how we feel? 

 

Between abandonment and salvation, I believe, is self-awareness: a key ingredient in the recipe for hope. Attaining it is akin to a lock-and-key: it requires us to ask and answer questions that fit the shape of our worries and fears, allowing us to better understand ourselves. It is a tour of the self, both ugly and beautiful. And by extension, it is a (re)discovery of God’s creation, present in us. 

 

We are living, breathing miracles – walking examples of the power our God exercises. In our own perseverance resides the might of the Lord; in our struggle belongs the faith that binds us to Him. To be reminded of the gift of salvation is to remember the gifts that we are to ourselves and to each other. In learning more about ourselves and our relationships with others, we might just stumble upon a few of the other presents that God has left for us along the way – starting with hope. 

 

And remember, no matter where we are in this journey of self-awareness: it’s okay to not be okay. 

 

Benjamin Jance IV