Wednesday Worship:Wednesday 23rd September 2020.
Readings: Psalm 88:1-6,14-18.Job 9:1-12,14-16.Luke 9:57 to end.
Hymn: O’worship the king all glorious above: 113 Singing the Faith.
These are hard words in the Psalm, the reading from Job and Jesus’ words too.The book of Job repays careful reading and its insight goes to the heart of the human condition. Life can at times be grim, it can suck. Our experience on a world-wide basis of Covid-19 has shaken us and challenged some of our core assumptions. Humankind is not invincible and a microscopic virus can shake our confidence and trash our certainties.
I have been involved with hospital chaplaincy for nearly all my time as a minister. For me it is so often the place where the rubber hits the road, where faith speaks into despair and where there is no place for cheap grace. In this environment denominational loyalty, theological positions, evangelical or liberal, charismatic or traditionalist matter little; what is wanted and demanded is honesty and the embrace of the Christ of the Cross set free by a God who loves and embraces the Jesus who redeems our frailty. Job lives in the eyes of patients, their families and friends and God’s loving care is seen in the response of nurses, medics, scientists, physios and many others who share the experience.
And Jesus offers us an uncompromising challenge ‘Anyone who lets himself be distracted from the work I plan for him is not fit for the Kingdom of God’. (Lk 9:62) These words come as Jesus prepares to make his way to Jerusalem and is about to send out 70 of his disciples like lambs among wolves. The challenge of Jesus to us is to deal with the world as it is, to know its murky glory, to know fear, discouragement, inadequacy and yet still, without reservation or delay to go and follow him. Therefore, to what ever task you are called, big or small, go to it for Christ is calling you and will equip you through the work of the Holy Spirit. The right heart is to go in obedience to the call and be surprised by how God honours that obedience.
Every blessing,Simon
Superintendent minister: Bude and Holsworthy Circuit.