Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 28th July & for the week ahead: Scripture:“I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3.18-19)Reflection:When we ask people to pray for us, we may expect it to be dramatic and using lots of long and difficult words. We may expect lofty phrases. It might be about something specific in our lives, such as relief from illness or grief. We don’t always expect people to pray that we may know God. Here, the writer goes some way to demonstrate just how much we don’t know because of how enormous God is. If we had that understanding, it may be akin to finding the answer to the mystery of life itself. However, the prayer is that we understand the love of God and that it fills us up. Imagine the most powerful love you’ve felt, whether for a parent, carer, child or lover. Then multiply that, substantially. It still wouldn’t compare to how much we are loved by God. So, a dramatic prayer indeed.Victoria Bray
Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 21st July and for the week ahead:Scripture:“He got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astonished.” (Mark 6.51)Reflection “He got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astonished.” (Mark 6.51) The disciples have helped Jesus feed five thousand people from a starting point of only five loaves and two fish. He has then sent them off in their fishing boat. The next morning they see him as they are struggling against the wind and cry out for help. Why were they utterly astonished? How could they not have been ready to accept that Jesus would be able to provide the help they had asked for? How far does our own experience echo theirs? – recognising the wonderful ways in which our lives are made possible and enriched, our daily bread provided and so many possibilities of growth and healing,… and yet we are astonished if our prayers are answered.David Harmsworth
Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 14th July and for the week ahead:Scripture:11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. (1 Chronicles 29:11)ReflectionLast week, as I looked at some pylons, marching across the landscape, transmitting energy, I got thinking about: where do we get our energy from? What in your life gives you energy? What powers you? Is it joy? Is it anger? A sense of injustice? A feeling that time is short and you want to make the most of it? Other people? Your own company? We can get our energy from many different sources, some of them more healthy and life giving than others. Spend a bit of time this week thinking about what fuels you, and is it helping you make the most of every day, or is it draining you, or wearing you down? If you are not tapping into the best power source often enough, how could you “switch supplier”? What activities or friendships give you life and energy, and how could you get more of those in every day, or week? Do you connect directly to God, the ultimate power and the source of all life?Revd Ylva
