11th July 25

Good morning all, 

 

and I'd like to say it's Friday- yeah! and we all have that Friday feeling- yeah, but already I'm boiling and listless, so a muted yeah for this Friday!

Service on Sunday 10.30am, come and join us - I'm talking about the Beatles......

 

Today's reading is Job 31

 

‘I have made a covenant with my eyes;

   how then could I look upon a virgin?

What would be my portion from God above,

   and my heritage from the Almighty on high?

Does not calamity befall the unrighteous,

   and disaster the workers of iniquity?

Does he not see my ways,

   and number all my steps?

 

‘If I have walked with falsehood,

   and my foot has hurried to deceit—

let me be weighed in a just balance,

   and let God know my integrity!—

if my step has turned aside from the way,

   and my heart has followed my eyes,

   and if any spot has clung to my hands;

then let me sow, and another eat;

   and let what grows for me be rooted out.

 

‘If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

   and I have lain in wait at my neighbour’s door;

then let my wife grind for another,

   and let other men kneel over her.

For that would be a heinous crime;

   that would be a criminal offence;

for that would be a fire consuming down to Abaddon,

   and it would burn to the root all my harvest.

 

‘If I have rejected the cause of my male or female slaves,

   when they brought a complaint against me;

what then shall I do when God rises up?

   When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?

Did not he who made me in the womb make them?

   And did not one fashion us in the womb?

 

‘If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,

   or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

or have eaten my morsel alone,

   and the orphan has not eaten from it—

for from my youth I reared the orphan like a father,

   and from my mother’s womb I guided the widow—

if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

   or a poor person without covering,

whose loins have not blessed me,

   and who was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

if I have raised my hand against the orphan,

   because I saw I had supporters at the gate;

then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,

   and let my arm be broken from its socket.

For I was in terror of calamity from God,

   and I could not have faced his majesty.

 

‘If I have made gold my trust,

   or called fine gold my confidence;

if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,

   or because my hand had acquired much;

if I have looked at the sun when it shone,

   or the moon moving in splendour,

and my heart has been secretly enticed,

   and my mouth has kissed my hand;

this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,

   for I should have been false to God above.

 

‘If I have rejoiced at the ruin of those who hated me,

   or exulted when evil overtook them—

I have not let my mouth sin

   by asking for their lives with a curse—

if those of my tent ever said,

   “O that we might be sated with his flesh!”—

the stranger has not lodged in the street;

   I have opened my doors to the traveller—

if I have concealed my transgressions as others do,

   by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

because I stood in great fear of the multitude,

   and the contempt of families terrified me,

   so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—

O that I had one to hear me!

   (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!)

   O that I had the indictment written by my adversary!

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;

   I would bind it on me like a crown;

I would give him an account of all my steps;

   like a prince I would approach him.

 

‘If my land has cried out against me,

   and its furrows have wept together;

if I have eaten its yield without payment,

   and caused the death of its owners;

let thorns grow instead of wheat,

   and foul weeds instead of barley.’

 

The words of Job are ended.

Reflection......

 

well that's not quite true, Job's words are not ended, we have a couple of chapters to go yet, bear up me hearties, nearly there! 

It's not supposed to be like this is it? God is to be our advocate....well that' what Job thinks and he seems to think it's all because God is not listening. he gives his final speech as a catalogue of sins he could have committed, but has not, he has no secret sins he needs to confess in a hearing of the heavenly court, if God would only grant him that hearing. But Job thinks his plea of self justification falls on deaf ears. 

One of the desert fathers commented on how we weigh ourselves down with self justification. It's a lot as we always carry it, and we bear it alone. Jesus told us to take it to the cross and lay it there, sounds a big job that, but he also says his yoke is easy and his burden light. Unlike Job, we can be sure we have an advocate in heaven who has borne our burden for us. As we travel on in life we should find the truth in Jesus' words that set us free from the weight of justifying ourselves to Go, or to anyone else.

 

Today's prayers...

 

Please pray for Vivienne, for Mo and for Mike Hatton.

 

God of Mission

who alone brings growth to your Church,

send your Holy Spirit to give

vision to our planning,

wisdom to our actions,

joy to our worship,

and power to our witness.

Help our church to grow in numbers,

in spiritual commitment to you,

and in service to our local community,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

See you Sunday?🎼🎵yeah🎵yeah🎵yeah🎵🎵

 

Have a good day, keep cool.

 

Rev Rie