Today's PAYG is one of the best reflections on prayer I've ever listened to.  Unhurried and uncomplicated, it simply asks the right questions and opens avenues of thought...

Listen to it here

As I was preparing for yesterday's sermon, one of the many things that struck me about the recorded temptations of Jesus was that it began with self-doubt, a questioning of identity... If you are...  My light bulb moment was when I imagined the thought running through Jesus' mind, "Am I who I am?  Am I the Son of I AM?" and the way this temptation is a cruel parody of the self-revelation of God to Moses that I AM who I AM; I will be who I will be.  "Am I the son of YHWH...?"  "Am I I AM?"

Probably everyone else has spotted that and played with the idea yonks ago, but it was new for me.

Today I saw this photo meme thingy on social media which shows scant knowledge of the scriptures (don't recall Jesus saying this) and possibly misses the whole I AM (ego eimi) thing let alone what YHWH tranlates to.  Or perhaps it's so subtle I missed it!!  It made me smile, and hinted that my thoughts on the tmeptation were probably not so wide of the mark!

The people who lead our evening services are once again using the CTBI Lent material as a jumping off point for our musings and worship.  Two weeks in, and I am very much enjoying what we have shared, which is refreshingly different and deeply challenging.

The first week we were invited to think about our finanical resources in the light of the parable of the sower.  Although this was not the intent, I found myself wondering what it might mean if I saw my money as the 'seed' and what it would mean to emulate the sower who broadcast the seed knowing that not all of it could or would yield a return.  I think that maybe such a view is quite liberating - allowing us to 'scatter' some of our wealth in less 'productive' areas of life without feeling guilty.

This week we were invited to use the parable of the tenants in the vineyard to reflect on our attitudes to the money we have.  A question that struck me especially was 'in what way or for whom is your bank statement good news?"  It's a fantastic question, and one that made me think very hard (last month's is mostly huge outgoings to hotels, tourist attractions and shops in New Zealand, though there are assorted planned and spontaneous charitable donations, gifts to others and payments for basics.)

I find myself wondering, then, how to hold these two thoughts together... like the sower to cast my resources widely, knowing that not everything will 'work' and to do so in a way that is as good news as possible for those who need to hear good news.

Good news for the shareholders of airline and hotel, supermarket and chain store

Good news for the manufacturer of packaging and product

Good news for grower...?  Well I hope so

Good news for the coffee shop, the cafe, the book shop, the charity shop

Good news for the public transport provider and taxi driver

Good news for the employees or volunteers...?  Well I hope so

Good news for the charities I choose to support

Good news for the university bursary schemes and religious organisations

Good news for the students, the misison partners...?  Well I hope so

Good news for my conscience, my pleasure, my health

Good news from my choices...?  Well... I hope so

I hope so...