Third Sunday of Lent

Readings: Isaiah 55v1-9; Psalm 63v1-9; 1 Corinthians 10v1-13; Luke 13v1-9.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: In Isaiah, God says: stop everything and come to me; listen carefully to me and live; seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon the Lord whilst he is near; leave behind your immoral ways and impure thoughts; and return to the Lord for mercy and pardon. God also tells us that he is not like us, because our God has deeds and thoughts that are higher than ours. For we have a God who made an everlasting promise to his holy people that: people from many nations will be drawn to him through them. People like many of us. People who were not born into, nor brought up in the Jewish faith. People who have turned to the God of Israel. People who have turned to the God who sent his son into the world to save us from our sins. People shown the way back to God, through his son Jesus.

In psalm 63, we hear that our souls’ thirst for God and that this thirst drives some people to seek and search for God. For some have felt the presence and power of God in God’s holy places. Some have felt that God has helped, held and protected them at some time in their lives. Some have felt the peace and comfort of God as they pray. For the God our souls’ thirst for is a God of power and glory, a God who loves us very much, a God who is always near to us, a God who draws near to us and a God who holds us with unwavering love and care.

In the gospel Jesus uses some recent troubles to teach that the horrible things that happen to us in life do not take place because we deserve it. However, whilst we may not deserve what life throws our way, Jesus does warn that we must change from our ungodly ways or else we will perish. To emphasise what he means and make his teaching clear, Jesus uses a parable, which is a story designed to make his hearers think. In the story, the failing tree should be cut down but is saved by the gardener for just one more year during which it will be cared for and nurtured. But, if the tree does not bear fruit the following year, it will be cut down. I believe that this is a reminder that God is patient with us and tries to help us but, if we do not play our part and bear good fruit, that we shall perish.

Paul says that many of his ancestors who wandered in the dessert for 40 years with Moses made God unhappy by the evil way they lived at the times when they were tested with all that life threw their way. In the light of this, Paul calls us to stand firm during testing times because God is always faithful. For when life is full of trouble, God will not let us be tested beyond that which we can endure and God will provide us with a way out.

I believe that what we learn from these scriptures is that God is always ready to stand by us and all we need to do is to call on him, for God is near us at all times, and God will provide the strength that we need to endure. But , I also believe that Jesus is warning us to take up our stand for God because the time we have is running out and Jesus does not want us to perish.

Let us Pray: Almighty God and Merciful Father, help us to resist the evil attractions that call us into sinful ways through the bad ways of the world, the urges that drive our bodies and the whispers of the devil. Give to us integrity in our disposition and thinking so we can follow your ways and walk in the way of the cross to find true life and real peace. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.