The fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.     Luke 20 : 37 - 38

This week’s reading : Luke 20 : 27 - 38

Thought for the week

It is easy to feel we are living between times. We might look to the past, often to better days, especially holding memories of loved ones that are precious. Or we might look with idealised hope to the future. To the world being a better place. Believing in progress and solutions.

Many of those who came to Jesus felt this way. Looking to the time of the Patriarchs and the Prophets in Israel’s past, and hoping for a better future with the coming of the Messiah and the Lord’s Kingdom.

Yet they were missing the fact that God Himself stood there in front of them. The Lord come to establish His reign of love and power, and bring His Kingdom.

Jesus is the here and now, the present, who heals the past and who is the source and epitome of hope in the future. He is the corner stone who holds time and eternity together (1 Peter 2)

Faith in Jesus means we can have confidence in the present that He is the true sovereign amidst all that is chaotic and troubling in the world. Whatever signs we see and voices we hear, we are called to put our faith in Jesus and look to Him. The one who holds the present, the one who brings Life.

Rev Paul

Prayer for this week

We may not be able to confront kings, or challenge presidents;

We may not have the capacity to divert resources, or uplift communities;

We may not have the voice to silence the noise of war, or the words to negotiate peace between armies;

But, as we follow you, O Christ, we are able to do something.

And so, we pray that you would inspire us to commit to and act on the small difference we can make:

May we bring peace through small acts of gentleness and reconciliation;

May we bring wealth through small contributions and collaborations;

May we bring safety through small acts of consideration and acceptance;

May we bring wholeness through small acts of care and service.

And in the small ways, O God, may our small difference

make a big contribution to your saving work in our world Amen.

written by John van de Laar. Posted on his excellent Sacredise.com website.