8th after Trinity

Readings: Genesis 15v1-6; Psalm 33v12-end; Hebrews 11v1-3&8-16; Luke 12v32-40.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: In the readings today we hear the call to show that we believe and trust in God by daring to follow his call to live our lives by trusting in him and his promises.

In Genesis we learn about a time early in the life of Abraham, when he was still called Abram. Abram is speaking with God and complaining that he is childless. In response God, promises that one day Abram will have not only have an heir of his own, but also will have as many descendants as the number of the stars he could see in the heavens. Abram believed what God was promising him, so God counted Abram’s faith as righteousness. If you read on in Genesis, you will hear that God fulfilled his promise by giving Abram and his wife Sarai a son named Isaac. It was because Abram believed and trusted in God that he was renamed Abraham, the forefather of the Israelites and everyone who has faith in God.

In Hebrews we hear about the remembrance of Abraham. Abraham is remembered for trusting God so much that he followed God’s call to go and live in another place. Abraham is remembered for trusting God’s promise to give him a child and many descendants. Abraham is remembered for his faith and trust in God that God counted to Abraham as righteousness.

The faith and trust that Abraham had in God is important because in the psalm we hear that God watches over everyone who puts their trust in him. For we have a God who pours out his loving kindness on his people by delivering their souls from death, that is by counting their faith to them as righteousness.

In Luke, we hear Jesus asking his disciples to put their faith and trust in God by selling what they have without fear and giving the money they raise to support charities. For Jesus wants them to store up treasure for themselves in heaven because wherever their treasure is, is the place that their hearts will be found. Jesus then goes on to use a parable to explain that believing and trusting in God is the way we are all called to live each and every day of our lives. For we are to be just like the servants in his story. Servants who are always up and ready for the master’s return. Servants who will be blessed when the master returns, if they are up and ready when he comes. For the master will return and can do so at any time.

Let us Pray: Almighty Lord, everlasting God, strengthen us for your service. Guide us so we can dedicate our hearts, souls, minds and bodies to the task of following the ways set out in your commandments. Protect and defend us from the deceit and noise of this world. Under your protection, we ask you to set us free to sing your praise and glory, with honesty; and to live lives refreshed with the fullness of your life. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.