Reflection: Sunday 16th October and for the week ahead:Scripture:‘The time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.’. (2 Timothy 3,4)Reflection: In the Old Testament there are numerous stories of kings and military leaders consulting ‘prophets’ about their plans. But they only consult the ones they know will tell them what they want to hear! They don’t want to risk asking the likes of Elijah or Jeremiah, who would tell them the truth, however unwelcome. It’s not hard to think of similar cases in our own time: politicians, leaders (anyone you can think of?), even church groups, who surround themselves with likeminded people and are deaf to anything that challenges their rigidly held point of view. If they don’t agree it must be Fake News. Let us pray for grace to let go of our prejudices and unfounded beliefs, and genuinely open our minds to ‘the truth that sets us free’..Revd Rosemary Kobus van Wengen
