At first sight, a rather odd collection readings today:

Psalm 22: 23-31

Genesis 15: 1 - 6, 12-18

Romans 3: 21 - 31

The extract from the Psalm is very positive, a surprise for those who know only the beginning of Psalm 22 as the 'cry of dereliction' uttered by Jesus Christ during his agonising crucifixion.  The mood of the psalm shifts abruptly from despair and lament to bold faith.  I fear that to read either in isolation is to miss part of what is intended.

The Romans passage is a lovely (imo) description of a sola fide, sola gratia understanding of salvation.  Actually, I have to confess to liking the book of Romans, even when parts of it are rather challenging and cause me to go 'yes but... no but... oh but...'  I may well be using this passage (among others) when I ponder my sermon on sin and grace...

So it is actually to the Genesis reading that I turn for today's reflection.  It's always curious when the lectionary skips over some verses mid-passage, and here it is a description of a rather bizarre sacrificial ritual that Abraham undertakes in between a vision (vv 1 -6) and a dream (vv 12 - 18).  The vision is full of hope - the promise of descendants that outnumber the stars - the dream more of a nightmare - fore-telling the slavery (in Egypt, not named) and the many generations before they would return to place Abraham now was).  I think the reason this passage strikes me is not the detail of the vision and the dream, but their proximity.  Hope and fear, success and failure, life and death, joy and sorrow... they are not neatly defined opposites as if one displaces the other, but somehow they co-exist in near proximity at all times.  To have descendants that out-number the stars - wow... that those descendants will be slaves - gulp.  If that is to be so, do I really want them then?  If the path of promise is also a path of suffering, will I choose it?  But then that is, in part, what Lent is about... that God's path of promise was also God's path of suffering...

When I was in Dibley, one of the best loved worship songs, and one they introduced me to, was this:

You may not be a Kendrick fan, but it is song that has helped many people face the challenge of the interplay of ups and downs that are real life.  It reminds me of people I love, so it is very precious.

God of Abraham

God of Sarah

God of Jesus

God in Christ

So easily we look for promsies of abundance

And overlook the sting the tail

That joy and sorrow are intertwined

That laughter and tears must co-exist

That life and death are never opposites

That what we hope for may bring anxiety

That what we most fear may surprise us with fulfilment

In the whole of life

Assure us of your companionship

Let is never grow complacent in prosperity

Or bitter in adversity

But always walk

One day at a time

With you.

Can't say I'm much in to saints days, let alone those of patron saints of various nations (it's always mildly amusing that Portugal and England share a patron saint) but because I am decidedly bored with news, local and national, that infers the UK consists solely of Scotland and England...

A Happy St David's Day to any Welsh/Walian/living-in-Wales readers.

A 'normal' shift today, though anything but a 'normal' day... two meetings back to back.  So, up and about bright and early... and it's light!  The days are definitely getting longer.  Of course as soon as we get used to it, the clocks shift and we are back to dark monrnings and the annual grumblings that incurs.

Just had a mad thought - I wonder in all the stuff being talked about Scottish Independence if anyone has decided what they want to do about time zones and day-light savings?  BST? GMT? SST (Scottish Standard Time)?  Hmm.

Anyway, work beckons, so I must stop this frivolity and get myself along the road.

The lectioanry readings for today are:

Psalm 77

Proverbs 30: 1 - 9

Matthew 4: 1 - 11

Today we are offered Matthew's take on Jesus' temptations (just in case anyone doesn't know, the order is different in Matthew and Luke, no specific temptations are named in Mark, John doesn't even mention this aspect of the story) set alongside a rather curious bit from Proverbs:

The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle.Thus says the man: I am weary, O God, I am weary, O God. How can I prevail?
Surely I am too stupid to be human; I do not have human understanding.
I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the holy ones.
Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of the hand? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is the person's name? And what is the name of the person's child? Surely you know!
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Do not add to his words, or else he will rebuke you, and you will be found a liar.
Two things I ask of you; do not deny them to me before I die:
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that I need, or I shall be full, and deny you, and say, "Who is the LORD?" or I shall be poor, and steal, and profane the name of my God.

Proverbs 30:1 - 9

The start of this little passage probably strikes a chord for many of people... I am weary... physically?  mentally? emotionally? spiritually?  Any or all of these?  And stupid... do we sometimes feel like that too?  What a numpty I am...?  How thick am I?  These are the words of a deep thinker, perhaps a sage, perhaps a scholar, perhaps, in out day, a professor, an industry expert, a world authority... This clever, thoughtful person feels useless.

Well, maybe it's just me, but I found that encouraging!

After the self-deprecation comes the reminder of God's fidelity and then an incredibly profound prayer... give me neither riches nor poverty, just let me have sufficient.  Why?  Too much and I will become self-reliant, denying my dependence on God; too little and I amy take matters into my own hands and behave in ways that profane God.  Wow.  The numpty who wrote that sounds remarkably wise to me.

But, I have a dilemma... the old Methodist covenant prayer, which I dearly love, says 'let me be full, let me empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing' (or words to that effect), and we intuitively think this is a good prayer.  Which is better then?  Proverbs or the Methodist Covenant?  What subtlety is it that allows us to hold the two together as alternative expressions of a deep truth?

When Goldilocks went to the house of the bears

(as the nursery song expresses it)

She tasted porridge that was

Too salt

Too sweet

Just right

She found chairs and beds that were

Too hard

Too soft

Just right

What is this 'just right'

This middle ground

This sufficiency?

When God looks on earth, God sees

The West that has too much

The rest that has too little

Is anywhere just right?

When God attends our prayers, God hears

Calls for more health and more wealth

Calls for less poverty and less disease

Does anyone one seek just right?

Lord, you have not promised us wealth or health

You have promised us your presence

Please show us what 'just right' looks like

Health enough

Wealth enough

Food enough

Learning enough

That we may honour your name

And never forget our place in your embrace.

Stolen (with her permission) from my friend J...

Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ indwelling them.
Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of all life.
Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light.
Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; feast on patience
Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism
Fast from worry; feast on trust.
Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives.
Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from hostility; feast on non-violence.
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth.
Fast from discouragement; feast on hope.
fast from facts that depress; feast on truths that uplift.
Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm
Fast from suspicion; feast on truth.
fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence.
Gentle God, during this season of fasting and feasting, gift us with your presence, so that we can be gift to others in carrying out your work.  Amen