For Life

Joseph and his brothers

We all know the story

Not suffering for its own sake, but because any other way leads to death

Reconciliation leads to life

All seems a bit much.

Beyond our Limits

we read these passages - Josephs welcoming his brothers, Jesus teaching love for enemies, and it sounds great. But what happens when the rubber hits the road?

love your enemies

do good to those who hate you

take all you have and give it to the poor

turn the otehr cheek

go teh extra mile

put down your weapons

take up your cross and follow me

It’s all well and good, but surely there’s a limit, Jesus?

Isn’t this just hyperbole?

So often there’s a barrier there that we just can’t bring ourselves to cross.

We too

we usually read these stories like we’re the ones in the right.

When we read Luke 6, we are the ones who have been wronged

When we read Genesis, we take the part of Joseph - the golden child, misunderstood by those around them abused and sold into slavery, but made good through the combination of theire natural gifts, and teh favour of God.

But reading these passages again, I was struck by the plight of Jospeh’s brothers. They were clearly in the wrong. But they were also desparately in need of grace and forgiveness. Desparately in need of a new chance at life.

And as much as God is for Joseph, God is also for Joseph’s family. This reunion is of more benefit to them, than it ever is to Joseph. God is for life. For grace. For forgiveness. For reconciliation. For hope.

And we all need a bit of that in our lives.

Maybe we’re not always the Jospeh in this story.

Maybe we’re the guilty ones. The desparate ones. The ones afraid of the consequences of their actions.

For us

God is for us too.

Maybe when we read Luke 6, we are not the wronged, but the wrong-ers, if that’s a word. Maybe we are the ones in need of love and forgiveness and good. Maybe we are in need of life.

We all have thigns that hang over our heads, sometimes for years at a time. Things we’ve said or done or failed to do that weigh us down in guilt and shame.

Good news, sisters and brothers: God is for life.

This is not a get out of jail card, but an opportunity to live another way, to be part of the healing instead of being part of the hurt.

Where is your limit?

what is limiting the work of Christ in your life at the moment?

where is the blockage?

how is the pathway to death disrupting hte pathway to life?

invite Jesus in to break down your barriers, to take the next step of the journey

into life

Prayer of Praise

and Adoration

God, we praise you

that you welcome us not only as we are,

but you see the potential for who we could

be in you.

We praise you that you have the patience

to encourage us to keep on striving

to be like you

while loving us the way we are.

It is your love that brings purpose

to our lives and to all that we desire,

your love that lifts us up

from mediocrity to the heights of glory.

In our worship,

grant us vision

to capture your dream for us

and then to go,

in your power,

to serve you by serving others.

Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Lord, when we are so consumed

with our own need

that we fail to see the needs of others,

have mercy on us.

When our heads are way up in the clouds

and we trip over those lying at our feet,

have mercy on us.

When we are full of self importance

and ignore what really matters,

have mercy on us.

Have mercy on us and bestow on us

the ability to see as you see,

with love and compassion

and the will to go the extra mile

to serve you.