19th July 2020

Please note that this Blogspot will no longer be updated after 26th July 2020. The 'reflection' for both this week and last week has been taken from the Methodist Church's weekly order of service, produced specifically  those for cannot take part in any other form of worship

Call to Worship*

 Holy God,

We come to You as Your children.

Not hesitant, not fearful, but with expectation;

We come to You like a seeking protection, comfort and your loving tenderness.

We have come here today to worship You as you people.

You made us to praise You, may our lives be a song of adoration to you.

Amen

 

Prayer of Confession*

I confess Lord that sometimes I feel lost I confess Lord that sometimes the questions are too many I confess Lord that sometimes the answers don’t come I confess Lord that sometimes I know what is right and don’t do it I confess Lord that sometimes I don’t even know what is right I confess Lord that sometimes I listen to other people more than I listen to You I confess Lord that sometimes it is easier to be moral than it is to be holy I confess Lord that sometimes I want to give up – what difference can I make I confess Lord that sometimes my choices don’t match my words I confess Lord that sometimes Your mystery scares me I confess Lord that sometimes I forget that you are a God of action I confess Lord that sometimes I feel lost.

Amen.

* From: https://churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/66995/19-July-7-Sunday-After-Pentecost.pdf

 

Bible Reading:        Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43

 

He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” He answered, “An enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But he replied, “No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’                          

 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.’ He answered, ‘The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!

Time to Reflect  

Jesus often used the natural world as a means of helping his disciples explore the Kingdom of God. In today’s Gospel reading Jesus gives us one of the parables of the Kingdom which tells us about the way that plants grow. Here both the good crop and the weeds which are planted later begin to grow; as they grow, they merge together. 

Jesus knew about the impact of good and evil which was to find its full force as he walked the way of the cross. He knew about human nature. He knew that goodness, truth and justice are in the world but oppression, injustice and conflict are there also. Just like the plant and the weeds which grow together in this parable, so the complexity of human experience both good and bad exist alongside one another.

The crop and the weeds grow together as do good and evil and so does opportunity and oppression, hope and despair, light and darkness. It is only when the harvest is brought in that the weeds and the crop can be separated.  Here is a parable of the end times, but it was also a parable of the hope of the  Kingdom which means that forgiveness is always offered and when accepted has a transformational  impact on the way that life can be lived and hope is shared.  

What though might this mean for us today? We live in an imperfect world, where human beings do the best of things and the worst of things.

Jesus shows us, there is hope for all in what God has done and in what God is doing. May that hope be seen in our response to the world as we discover and share God’s love which continues to bring light into the darkness of our mixed up, imperfect world.                            

The parable tells us that the weeds and the good crop grow together; can good and evil ever be untangled in this world?  What challenge does this present to our living as God’s faithful people in the world today?

From: The Methodist Church (Sunday July 19^th 2020) This short act of worship has been prepared for you to use whilst we are unable to use Methodist Church premises

Prayers of Intercession

Let my prayer be counted as incense before You and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. Lord, I pray for everyone I know who has lost a positive self-image, for those who loathe themselves, hurt themselves, starve themselves, drug themselves. I pray for all those who stay in places and with people who wound them. Holy Spirit help these people know who they are in You – beloved, forgiven, restored. Help me to help them. Let my prayer be counted as incense before You and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

 

 

 From The Methodist church, prayers at home, 19^th July 2020

Blessing

God who sows and God who reaps, God who allows growth even in the hard places, God who waits patiently for the right time, send us out now into the fields of your world to plant hope amidst the weeds and seeds of life. And may we learn to scatter love wisely till you gather us in once more. Amen

From:  * From: https://churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/66995/19-July-7-Sunday-After-Pentecost.pdf

12th July 2020

Opening Prayers

God has abundantly cast his seeds of love and hope upon us.
May we be fruitful soil for the planting and growing of hope and peace.
Come, let us praise God who is so generous with us.
Let us sing songs of joy to God.
This is a time to offer our praise to God.
With joy we thank God for all the blessings that have been poured on us.
Come, let us worship God who showers us with mercy.
Give praise to God who offers us rest and peace. AMEN.

Prayer of Confession

Lord Jesus Christ,
who generously sowed the seeds of faith in our lives.
with the gift of the Holy Spirit
so that our faith has miraculously and mysteriously grown.
in planting any seeds of faith in the lives of others;
the times when our personal agendas become more important than yours;
the times when we have denied others the opportunity to expand their faith
through our lack of interest or involvement;
the times when our lives become so entangled with the values of the world
that we forget what you have said and done and promised.
our lives becomes parched and unfruitful and our faith becomes stunted and dry.
Bless and renew our lives, we pray,
so that we remain connected to you at all times and in all places,
strengthening our faith to expand and, growing strongly and vigorously,
to bear the fruit of your mercy, your love, your undying life.

we remember with gratitude those people

Pause for a time of reflection

Above all. we recognize how you have blessed our lives

We confess the times we fail to involve ourselves

Lord Jesus Christ, we know that when we become disconnected from you,

Amen.

~ written by Moira Laidlaw, and posted on Liturgies Online.
http://www.liturgiesonline.com.au/

Words of Assurance
God hears your cries and heals your wounded hearts. God is preparing you for good things to come. Place your trust in God who has always loved you and will always love you. AMEN.

from: https://www.ministrymatters.com/worship/entry/1137/worship-connection-july-12-2020

BIBLE READING  Matthew 13:1-9 & 18-23

"The Sower" by Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890)

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 Let anyone with ears[a] listen!”

“Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.[c] 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Reflection

This short act of worship has been prepared for you to use whilst we are unable to use Methodist Church premises.  If you are well enough why not spend a few moments with God, knowing that other people are sharing this act of worship with you.

Over the last few months we have begun to look at the world in a new way. Certainties are no longer as certain as they once were. This time last year no one imagined being in lockdown, although the possibility of a serious virus pandemic was not unimagined.  

When I read the parable afresh the first thing I noticed was that for his own safety, and perhaps in order to be better seen, Jesus gets into a boat and puts some distance between himself and the crowd. The Bible does not tell us if it was more than 2 metres! Jesus sits down to teach indicating his authority to teach. Jesus takes practical steps to be heard and communicates in ways the crowd were used to and addressed them in ways they would understand. The image of a sower was common in first century Palestine.

And when the seed is scattered not all of it bears fruit, some falls on the path or on stony ground. Some is in shallow earth and fails to mature. Amid much bearing of fruit there is also the failure of hearing and not understanding. Jesus recognized that even with the best news in the world there would still be setbacks.

The disciples have the parable explained to them. They have the benefit of the expertise of Jesus who told this parable and was be definition best placed to explain its meaning.

 As we move forward together and plan the activities of our local churches in a world that has been changed we should be encouraged by this parable.

Encouraged to work in ways that we discern are appropriate in our current situation.  Perhaps an extra line on the plan for the Circuit’s online worship and resources for those not online and unable to attend a building.

Encouraged to keep trying even if the seed we cast does not always bear fruit straight away or in ways we may expect.

Encouraged to gather as much wisdom as we can from others and glad to listen to those who are called to teach and explain, even when this might move us out of our comfort zones and takes us in unexpected ways.  Amen.

Prayer:

O God,
We gather together in Your presence with expectation,
hungry for an encounter with You,
eager to hear Your Word.
Open our eyes and ears to the presence of Your Holy Spirit.
May the seeds of Your Word scattered among us this morning
fall on fertile soil.
May they take root in our hearts and lives,
and produce an abundant harvest
of good words and deeds.
We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ,
our teacher and our Lord.
Amen.

Let us pray for our world; for the worldwide effort to create a vaccine for Covid-19. For all the peoples of the world and for cooperation as we continue to live with this virus.

As we pray for our world we pray especially for those in government and industry whose decisions effect the lives of so many. And we pray for wisdom for those in power.

We pray for our own land. For the NHS and for all those involved in social care and all keyworkers, giving thanks for the work they do for us. We pray for local communities as we continue to move towards what has been called the new normal. 

We pray for the whole Church throughout the world, especially churches in countries with unsympathetic regimes. We pray for the Methodist Church, both at the local level and also the Connexional Team. 

We take a time of quiet to remember those who have died, especially those who have been important to us on our own journeys of life and faith.

We make all our prayers in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

~ Christine Longhurst, re:Worship

Benediction
God has placed the seed of love and forgiveness in your heart. Go into God’s world with joy, telling of the good news of God’s abundant, lavish love for all creation. Go to be a witness to all the miraculous possibilities for hope and peace. AMEN.

https://www.ministrymatters.com/worship/entry/1137/worship-connection-july-12-2020

5th July 2020

Call to Worship

Holy God,

we have gathered in your presence today
acknowledging that we need you in different ways.
Some of us need strength
because we feel powerless.
Some of us need hope,
because we are feel like giving up.
Some of us need love
because we are feeling alone.
We trust that you will provide for us,
whether through words or music,
or in a quiet moment of reflection.
You are here,
you are with us.
Amen.

From: https://carolpenner.typepad.com/leadinginworship/prayers-call-to-worship/

Prayer of Confession

God of Mercy and Grace, Universal Healer, in this time, we cry to you. We open our hearts to receive you, to find comfort in you. You call us in such a time to be bold, to be brave.

Forgive us Lord, for we have been afraid.
Forgive us Lord, when our fear has led us to cower from your call to action.
Forgive us when we haven’t taken the sort of caution that serves and protects our neighbours.
Forgive us when we have made light of the suffering of others.
Forgive us when we have not lived as your disciples.
People of God, take heart! You are forgiven, you are loved —God will not leave us alone in this time

Transform us by your Spirit and your Word into a faithfulness which never falters. Bring us into Your peace, joining saints and angels of all ages. In the Trinity we pray. Amen.

From: http://austinmustardseed.org/blog/2020/03/09/a-prayer-of-confession-during-covid-19/

 

Bible Reading:        Genesis 17:1-9 – 15-17

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty;^[a] walk before me, and be blameless. ² And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” ³ Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ⁴ “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. ⁵ No longer shall your name be Abram,^[b] but your name shall be Abraham;^[c] for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. ⁶ I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. ⁷ I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring^[d] after you. ⁸ And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.”

¹⁵ God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. ¹⁶ I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” 

 Reflection:

 Abraham had a wonderful experience with God. He was being shaped and formed by God for the tasks to which God had called him. His faith was being developed, as was his total and complete trust in God. Since the first encounter he had with God in Genesis 12 when God called him to leave his ancestral home, through to when God makes a covenant with him in chapter 15 he is reminded of God’s faithfulness and promises, especially the promise of a son and heir.

God’s Nature

And yet despite all this, despite him believing in God’s word (Gen 15:6), nothing happened. And its is because of that that Abraham decided to take matters into his own hand and have a child through his slave-girl Hagar. After all, God had only said that Abraham would be the father of this promised child, but he hadn’t specified that Sarah would be the mother. Nevertheless, he fathered Ishmael through Hagar the slave-girl when he was 86 years old (Gen 16:15). Therefore, when his age is mentioned in chapter 17, it is very significant: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to …him” (v.1). This suggests that for thirteen years, there was no word from the Lord. That’s a long time. The promise had been made, a son was born, but things didn’t turn out how Abraham thought they would – and to top it all, God was silent. Does that sound familiar? We sometime feel close to God, we experience his presence, we believe in his plans and purpose for our lives – and then we start to become impatient when things don’t happen in the way we expect them to. We become disillusioned, we decide to do our own thing, and God is silent. We are left waiting and waiting. Like Abraham.

And then God breaks into Abraham’s disillusionment, the waiting is ended and God is control again. The sun has broken through the could in all is dazzling splendour. We see this is the encounter described at the start of the chapter. God ‘appeared’ to Abraham as the all-powerful one. That is the meaning of the Hebrew word “El Shaddai”: “I am God Almighty (El Shaddai); Remember, for thirteen years Abraham must have been feeling helpless and hopeless, wondering what had become of the promises God had made to him, promises that he believed in but which appeared to come to nothing. God is -all powerful; he is in control. Next, God says: “walk before me, and be blameless.”  This command flows out of the self-description of God. Because of who he is, it demands an appropriate behavioural response – live in a manner that is worthy of who God is. How does our behaviour reflect what we believe of God? Or more concerningly, how does the way we live our life not reflect the God whom we believe. Being in relationship with the all-powerful God demands a response on our part – to live in a way that is acceptable to God.

God’s Goodness

It all happened so fast! Before Abraham had the chance to even say or do anything, God says to him: “And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous” (v.3). This is a reiteration of the covenant that was made in Gen 15:18, a reminder that God has made a promise in the past and therefore there is no reason why he will not keep his word. Remember, we have a promise keeping God. But it also tells us that we have a God who is willing to pick up where we left off. God wants to be in relationship with us. He is faithful to us even when we are not faithful to him. For Abraham, to be reminded of the promise and the blessings of abundance that this covenant signified must have been very reassuring. After he was feeling that he had messed things up, taken the course of his live into his own hands, and God hadn’t been around for a while now. What a relief for him now to hear that the covenant still stands, the promises remain true, and God is in control. Not only that, God wants to bless us. We know this from what God says to Abraham: “I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you” (v.6). Remember, Abraham started of as foreigner in a strange land, a nomadic wanderer but he was now going to be the source of Kings and royalty. He was a man who was advanced in year, who had no heir, except from a child from a slave-girl who had gone into hiding, and yet God says: “You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations” (v.4a). And as if that blessing was not enough, Abraham is reminded that the blessings would be unending: “I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring^[d] after you” (v.7). There would be land in abundance: “And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding” (v.8). And most importantly, the blessing of God everlasting presence: “and I will be their God” (v.8c). What blessings: a relationship, land, and God’s very presence – forever!! A God who can make the impossible possible, for nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). God is good. God is in a covenantal relationship with us, and he does for us more than we can ever imagine!

God’s New Beginnings 

Central to this encounter is the revelation of God’s name (El Shaddai), but it also focuses on the names of Abraham and Sarah, originally Abram and Sarai. To Abraham God says: “No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations (v.7) and about Sarah he says: “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.  I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” (vs.15-16). A new name for both Abraham and Sarah. In other words, a new identity, a fresh start, a beginning for them. No longer was Abram going to be an ‘exalted father’. After all that was an ironic name for someone who had no heirs, apart from the son of a slave woman. Now, as he anticipated and awaited the promises of God, the birth of his own son through his wife Sarah, he was going to become the father of a multitude of nations. For Sarai, she was going to be re-named ‘princess’ since kings of peoples shall come from her. This renaming, this new identity needs to be seen within the overall context of the encounter with God. A relationship with God calls for a new start in our lives. Both Abraham and Sarah and experienced this. In the new testament, this truth remains the same. St. Paul says, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Cor 5:17).

In this story we encounter God’s nature, as the all powerful one, and this understanding shapes the way we relate and respond to God; we see God’s goodness, the blessings of God come thick and fast to those who love him; we become recipient’s of God’s new beginnings, when we are in a relationship with him, all things are new.

Thanks be to God for his Word.

Amen

Prayers of Intercession

I thank you Lord for the gift of your Son: for His life, His sufferings and death and for His Resurrection and Ascension, for the witness, salvation and hope He gives.                                                                                      

I thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit to those who have come to you, and especially for the gift of that Spirit in your Church.

I rejoice in the work and witness of your Church and pray that it may continue to strive to fulfil your work and proclaim your Love.

I pray for the needs of the world, thinking especially at this time of those affected by the Coronavirus, but remembering too all who suffer including those whose plight seemingly goes unnoticed. Be with all those suffering in any way. Especially be with……………

Be with those whose lives impact others: leaders in government, or the workplace, health care workers, teachers, emergency workers and all those on whom people depend. Grant them the wisdom and the strength to know and to follow your way.

Lord, I commend all men, women and children to your unfailing love through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.   Amen 

  

 From The Methodist church, prayers at home, 5^th July 2020

Blessing

When You say a word, may we hear You, Lord. When You touch our hearts, may we feel You, Lord. When You lead the way, may we follow You, Lord. When You inspire us, may we respond to You, Lord. May all our lives be lived in response to Your calling, Lord Jesus.

and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy spirit be with you this day and evermore, Amen.

Amen

From: © Paul H Ashby Derby 2011, www.prayerandbiblestudy.org

28th June 2020

"The Sacrifce of Issac" by Michelangelo Merisi da |Caravaggio (1571-1610)

Call to Worship

Trust in the unfailing love of God Let our hearts rejoice in God’s calling of us. God does not abandon us though we wrestle with doubt and sorrow. God does not turn away and hide instead God’s light shines in the darkness. God shields us from all threat and lifts us when we fall. Trust in the unfailing love of God Let our hearts rejoice in God’s calling of us. Let us sing to God for God is good. Amen.

From: https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/66448/28_June_4_Sunday_after_Pentecost.pdf

Prayer of Confession

Loving and Sustaining God,

You call us to obedience,

to follow you in all things;

to give up the things we cling to,

and to give ourselves wholeheartedly to your purposes.

We confess that we don’t always find this easy to do.

We confess that it is often very difficult to let go of the things we love.

But we also know that you never ask more of us than what is possible,

and that you stand ready, at all times, to sustain us,

and to provide everything we need.

Give us courage to faithfully follow your leading,

even when we cannot see the outcome,

even when the path you call us to seems impossible to comprehend.

Help us to trust you in all things,

to let go of everything that would stand in the way

of whole-hearted obedience to you.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray.

Amen.

From: https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2011/06/prayer-of-commitment-genesis-22.html

God’s gift of eternal life has been given in Jesus Christ, who offers us forgiveness from our sins, and welcomes us to the way of holiness. Amen
Alleluia! Amen.

From: https://holdfasttowhatisgood.com/liturgy/prayer-of-confession/

Bible Reading:        Genesis 22:1-14

"Le Sacrifice d'Isaac" by Philippe de Champaigne (1602-1674)

After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ² He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” ³ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. ⁵ Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.” ⁶ Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. ⁷ Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” ⁸ Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.

⁹ When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill^[a] his son. ¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ¹² He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” ¹³ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴ So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”;^[b] as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Reflection:

This is a gripping story that has captivated its readers throughout the centuries because it is as shocking as it amazing. And unthinkable act is brought together with an unshakeable faith. The near death of a child is put alongside a life of trust. Some may call Abraham’s obedience ‘blind faith’, which is another way of saying that he was perhaps too naive. After all, Isaac was God’s answer to years of prayer. He was provided by the Lord. He was literally Abraham’s hope for the future and the embodiment of every promise that the Lord had given to him. And yet, when God said: ““Take your son … Isaac, whom you love …and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you” (v.2). All the promises of God, the hope for the future seemed to hang in the balance. What sense did it make to murder the son of the promise through whom God had promised to bless the earth? It was as if God was contradicting himself, going back on his promises in asking for the sacrifice of Isaac. How could a loving God require anyone to sacrifice a child? How could Abraham go along with this and not object? Surely, there had to be other ways of proving faith? And the questions we could direct to this passage are endless.

This poignant story involving the test of love of a father of his beloved and only son, must be read within a culture of sacrificial worship which is quite foreign to us. We realize then that it was not so abhorrent, at a time when people sacrificed all manner of animals to the gods, and in some societies, even children were sacrificed.

*The Sacrifice of Isaac"
by Rembrant (1606-1669)

In the midst of all this, is the story is a profound obedience to and trust in God in all circumstances on the part of Abraham. Abraham’s faith has always been celebrated in the scriptures, as later readers of this passage too struggled to understand God’s difficult request. So the author of the letter to the Hebrews writes: “It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead” (Hebrews 11:17-19). In other words, if by trusting God implicitly Abraham could let his son go into God’s hands then he would dramatically receive him back again as the true evidence and testimony of God’s love.

But the first clue to understanding this difficult passage is found early on: “After these things God tested Abraham” (v.1). “What things?” we might ask. There is a string of events that lead up to this point, all of which Abraham is present with situations that he cannot understand or that just do not make sense: God’s call to Abraham to go to a land he has never seen; God’s promise to Abraham that he will be the father of a great nation; the long years of Sarah’s barrenness; the birth of Ishmael; and at long last, the impossible birth of Isaac. In all of these events, in the end God proves himself to be faithful So this event needs to be set against that background. In the light of the series of seemingly impossible situations that Abraham was presented with and where he witness again and again the good purposes go God, that’s when  “after all these things”, God decides to further ‘test’ Abraham. While on the one hand, the word ‘test’ in this context means that God wanted to Abraham to prove / to show / to reveal his commitment, on the other hand, it is not so much about Abraham, but is about God revealing his great presence and provision to Abraham – as he had done in the past.

So with that in mind, we approach God’s horrifying demand: “Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go³ to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will show you” (v.2). The horror of the proposed sacrifice of Isaac is made worse by emphasizing the relationship: “…your only son, whom you love…”. Yet, despite all this, we meet Abraham the next morning exhibiting an almost matter of fact obedience: “So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him” (v.3) We can only imagine the sort of night Abraham must have spent – sleepless and dreading the break of day. But we have no indication of any refusal or protest on the part of Abraham. God said go and Abraham went, indicative of the trust that he had displaced at every stage of his left since his first encounter with God in Genesis 12. As irrational as God’s demand seemed, it is evident that based on his previous experiences with God, he knew that all things would work out for good as is evident in the response to Isaac’s inevitable question: “Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (v.7). Abraham said: “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” (v.8).

And while it’s easy to celebrate Abraham’s implicit trust and his faith in God,  we are nevertheless shocked that he had every intention to carry out this horrific act: “When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son” (vs.9-10). But it is important to see that God intervened; he did not allow Abraham to proceed; he brought Abraham to the edge but did not push him over: “But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ¹² He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” (vs.11-12). And God provided for Abraham “And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns” (v.13), just as Abraham believed he would (v.8a).

The focus of the story then at that point becomes about God’s miraculous provision, and not about the horrific note on which the story started (v.2); it becomes a story about God’s intervention when Abraham thought it was an impossible situation. It began on a horrific note, it ended on a hopeful note. It began with Abraham’s plight, it ended with God’s providence: “So Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” (v.14).

Even the longest and darkest nights come to an end. They are followed by the light of day. God challenged Abraham to embrace the absurd, the irrational and the illogical. He acted with no guarantees or clarity, knowing that he might be horribly wrong. We can take from this event some truths that can help us in our own lives:

In life’s journey, we are sometimes confronted by situations that make absolutely no sense when we experience them.

Like Abraham, we are challenge to embraced the absurd, the irrational and the illogical, with no guarantees or clarity.

All we can do at such times is to trust in the goodness of a good God, knowing, hoping and believing that God’s presence is constant and his provision is unfailing.

And then the light will down and we will know in our hearts that the Lord will provide because he is always present with us. Or as St. Paul says: “ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).

Amen

Prayers of Intercession

Oh Lord Who Provides, awaken the spark You created within us to seek the heart of Abraham by accepting and working through, rather than fearing, each test of faith in this life, trusting in Your saving help.
O God of Grace
We trust in Your Mercy

Oh Lord Who Provides, ignite the hearts and souls of the leaders of this Country, this Community, and this World, with extra grace and strength of character, to act upon Your will and wisdom for all Your people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O God of Grace
We trust in Your Mercy

 

Oh Lord Who Provides, restore hope and health to those who struggle with continuing illness, isolation, or homelessness, and stamina for all who give support. We now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own petitions

O God of Grace
We trust in Your Mercy

Oh Lord Who Provides, to Your Everlasting Arms, we lift up all who have exchanged this earthly life to flourish in the peace of eternity with You.  

O God of Grace
We trust in Your Mercy

~ Oh Lord Who Provides, we pause in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, … add your own petitions

O God of Grace
We trust in Your Mercy. Amen

 

 From https://prayersofthepeople.blogspot.com/ by  Christina Brennan Lee 

Blessing

May the grace of God thrill your hearts, the mercy of God transform your minds, the peace of God flood your souls, and the love of God flow through your lives…and the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy spirit be with you this day and evermore, Amen.

From: https://www.firstdonaghadee.org.uk/first-worship-sunday-28th-june-2020/