Sunday 03 October 2021
This week's reading is John 12 v 20-33
This is a time to remember with thankfulness for God’s provision of this good earth, and its produce to sustain life. It’s also a time to remind ourselves that we are in the privileged 10% that holds 90% of the resources and we have a responsibility for the sharing of these and being a voice for those that cannot be heard. We cannot as individuals or as church solve every problem, but following Jesus’ command to lay down our life, take up our cross and follow Him should lead us to a less selfish life, a life that loves to give rather than receive.
I remember a story of a beach in California, where one year millions of star fish were washed ashore and left stranded, all helpless waiting to die. A Man. walking on the beach, saw a boy picking them up one by one and throwing them back in the sea. The man asked ‘Why are you bothering? What difference do you think you are making?’.
The boy held a star fish and said ‘it makes a huge difference for this one’ and with that he threw it into the sea.
Like the seed that goes onto the ground, and produces many seeds, so are like Jesus’ followers who do the same, die to self and produce much life for ourselves and others.
When God would have us die to self, he always touches the tenderest spot… where is yours? Francois Fenelon