Thought for the week of 10th October 2021

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. " Mark 10 : 29 - 30

Bible reading : Mark 10 : 17 - 31

Thought for this week

Do you remember the time when the Charity Shops reopened? So much de – cluttering had gone on that they needed a ‘triage’ system to try and process the sheer amount of items before they came through the door.

Then there were the queues for the tip. It became a real outing, and very satisfying once you made it in and were able to unload!

Yet in our Gospel reading Jesus is speaking about far more than de – cluttering. For the man who comes to Jesus, wanting to enter the Kingdom of heaven, Jesus sees that his life’s focus is possessions. He has lost his way, becoming trapped by things that have got in the way of his relationship with the Lord and what is most precious.

Jesus calls each of us into freedom and new life. That can mean for each of us laying aside all that encumbers, distorts, spoils our relationship with Jesus and with others.

Yet the Gospel writer tells us, “Jesus looking at him, loved him”. In His love for us Jesus sets us free of all that hinders us when we give it to Him and let go. Jesus calls us to trust in Him for everything, even letting go of the things that are most dear or a big part of our lives.

Rev Paul

Prayer of Sir Francis Drake (final verse)

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,

To venture on wider seas

Where storms will show your mastery;

Where losing sight of land, We shall find the stars.

We ask You to push back the horizons of our hopes;

And to push into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love.

Amen