Wednesday Reflection
Continuing in the Season of Creation, let us begin with the link to the Stilling Video from the Sunday Service – Stones of Brodgar. (CLICK to open video)
On Sunday, the all-age talk was based on the Church of Scotland Guild theme for this year.
The Guild is a movement within the Church of Scotland which invites and encourages both women and men to commit their lives to Jesus Christ and enables them to express their faith in worship, prayer, action and fellowship.
In the current three year cycle, the theme is Let us build a house. Last year, the annual talks, fellowship and fundraising followed the thread of Sure Foundations.
For 2025, it is LIVING STONES.
Our Jeremiah reading (Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28) reminded us quite forcibly what happens to a people and nation when they ignore the call to be living stones, both in their own lives, their community, the the world, in creation.
In the Luke reading, Luke 15:1 – 10, we hear of losing just one sheep and how that sheep must be found to rejoin the flock, to make it complete again.
But the story tells us how the lost sheep was found – the Shepherd going out to look for it until it was discovered and brought back again.
Finding the Lost Sheep is a well known and well loved parable of Jesus. It enables us to continue through difficult and dark times when perceiving the way to go is hard or when we take a wrong turn and go astray, losing our way.
It is knowing that if we have decided to follow Jesus, often something that needs doing regularly to keep that commitment alive, he will not let us go but will seek and find us if we get lost, bringing us back into the flock.
Every person, whether they think they are a ‘boulder’ or a ‘pebble’ matters to God in the building of a strong ‘house’ where all can live in peace and safety.
Our closing hymn was CH4 Hymn 198 written by Marty Haugen;
‘Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live’
“Where hands will reach beyond the wood and stone to heal and strengthen, serve and teach, and live the Word they’ve known. Here the outcast and the stranger bear the image of God’s face; let us bring an end to fear and danger, all are welcome in this place.”
God calls to the lost, the least, and all who long for home;
God calls us when we wander from the path chosen for us
and waste the gifts we have been given.
God calls us and welcomes us back to worship this day;
let us celebrate and rejoice in God’s presence forever.