16th after Trinity

Readings: Habakuk 1v1-4 & 2v1-4; Psalm 37v1-9; 2 Timothy 1v1-14; Luke 17v5-10.

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 Habbakuk we hear that God’s people are behaving very badly and the righteous are being treated unjustly. It is so bad that the prophet has dedicated his time to prayers in which he is complaining to God and waiting to hear what God has to say. The prophet’s perseverance is repaid in a prophesy given by God. A prophesy about a time still to come, a time when the proud will see that their spirit is not right in them and the righteous will live because of their faith. A time that may feel as though it is being delayed but a time that will come. A time that must be waited for in patience because it will come at its appointed time.

So, what do we learn from this? I believe that we learn that: it is okay to complain to God about the things that worry us about what is happening in the world. I believe it also calls us to live by faith as we wait for the time of judgement that is coming.

In the psalm we hear that we must not fret, be angry over or be jealous of evil people because if we do we run the risk of becoming just like them. Instead, we are to: trust and delight in the Lord, commit ourselves to the Lord’s ways, be fed by the truth and live our lives doing good. For a time is coming when evil people will be cut off, crushed and die. The time when everyone who serves the Lord will prosper.

So what do we learn from this? I believe that we learn that we are to focus on living as God calls and trust that God will sort out wicked people. For when the time of judgement comes, evil people will be excluded from good things and the righteous will prosper.

I believe that these readings prompt us to think about what it means to live by faith following the ways that God wants of us. For as we hear in Luke, Jesus taught his apostles that if they have faith as small as the size of a mustard seed they will be able to do things that seem impossible. Jesus also taught them that they are to serve God by serving his people, a calling that they will be able to fulfil without needing any thanks, if they serve for the love of serving.

But what kind of service does the Lord require of us? As a reply we hear in Paul’s letter to Timothy that the calling that comes from God is a calling supported by sound teaching. The calling to carry the testimony about Jesus into the world without fear or embarrassment.

So, as we think about the words of scripture today, we hear a message of encouragement that we are called into God’s service. A service we are called to alongside others, as a body of people sharing the good news of Jesus.

Let us Pray: Almighty God, as you call us to be your people, we pray that you will help and guide us so we know how to live as your people. Guide us to understand what love means to you, then show us how to love you with everything that we are as well as to love the people we meet as we live out our lives. For we know that this is something that can only be achieved by us if you grant us your grace and power to do so. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.