ScriptureJust after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. He called out to them ‘Friends, haven’t you any fish?’ ( John 21, 4-5)Reflection:Jesus’ friends had spent 3 years by his side, but when he appeared to them more than once after his resurrection they failed to recognise him. The disciples had gone back to their day job - fishing - when Jesus decided to pop down and cook them breakfast on the beach. What a reunion that must have been, as they realised who he was and sat down to eat with him! In this world that is in a far from satisfactory state, we search for hope, for righteousness and justice, and for order out of chaos. Maybe we are wondering why an all-powerful God doesn’t click his fingers and make everything right? I’m not sure that God is all powerful, but I am certain that He is all loving. I’m not even sure I would worship a God who could click his fingers, make everything right, but hasn’t yet? I can worship a God who came as a human baby, who chose to live a human life with all its hardship, who championed the outcasts and the misfits, lived a life of service to others and cared enough about his friends feelings to cook them breakfast on the beach. We can recognise God in the world - not for His power…but for His love.Vicki Young
Scripture“The branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine” (John 15.4)Reflection:Was Jesus stating the obvious? Vines need lots of pruning if they are to bear a good crop, and pruned shoots never do get to produce fruit. “I” said Jesus “am the true vine”.It’s like the parable of the seeds – some seeds get started but… To live, and to live well, we need not just physical blood supply, we need a constant supply of fresh Spirit. If mains appliances are unplugged, they stop working; rechargeable batteries need a power source. The life and words of Jesus are a source of inspiration: the story of the Resurrection is not about the past, it’s a way of saying that the power for good that was shown in Jesus is very much alive and with us. Let’s not get cut off!David Harmsworth
