Thought for the week 6th September

“Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Keep me from paying attention to what is worthless; be good to me, as you have promised”.                              Psalm 119 : 36-37

Bible reading: Matthew 18 : 15 - 20

Thought for the week

All our readings this week feature the call to turn back to the Lord, to follow His commandments, to turn away from sin, and the disruptive effects of following our own paths and our own desires.

This week also marks the beginning of what has come to be known as ‘Creationtide’. The celebration of the Lord’s loving hand in Creation and the revealing of His presence, power and gentleness in nature.

We are daily being reminded of the consequences of our own willfulness and self – centredness in the trauma suffered by our planet. In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus tells us sin can have a disruptive effect within the church and amongst believers if we are not careful, and needs to be dealt with.

Yet there is Good News in the person of Jesus. He has come amongst us, and even took our sin to the Cross for our forgiveness and new life. This is the Good News for each of us when we turn back to the Lord. There is even hope for our planet – more blue whales have been sighted than for many years. Praise be to Jesus who calls us into His ways, and has won for us hope, forgiveness and a new beginning.

Rev Paul


Prayer for this week

Almighty God, you search us and know us:

may we rely on you in strength and rest on you in weakness,

now and in all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen