Helensburgh Parish Church - Meditative Reflections

Lord, help us protect your trees, and all creation, not just because they are part of your world, but because they hold together your land, which protects our neighbours from floods and landslides. Because they are a sign that life is near, and water, shelter, and sustenance is possible. Lord, would we see a tree and be reminded of your goodness, faithfulness and provision, and would we remember our responsibility to care for creation. Amen

When children are little, a great distraction is to sing songs with them. It is a useful tool to combat boredom on a car journey. It is also a way of alleviating fear or stress in difficult situations. An example is the song during a thunderstorm from the musical 'The Sound of Music': "I simply remember my favourite things, and then I don't feel so bad."  Singing is sometimes simply good fun, and many songs these days appeal to the imagination of the young. At other times there is something deeply spiritual about singing. A famous opera singer once said that a singer needs "a big chest, a big mouth, 90 percent memory, 10 percent intelligence, lots of hard work, and something in the heart." The last part makes all the difference! Often when people say outside church, "I enjoyed the service today", they follow it up with, "I love these hymns." There is unity in joining our voices together to praise God. Though fellow church members may

' Learn to do right;seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.'  (Isaiah 1:7) What would a Christia society truly look like? Would it be one in which everyone goes to church? One in which we all read the Bible every day? One in which worship music tops the charts? If we follow God's word, a Christian society would be one that is free from inequality. One in which people looked after each other with kindness and compassion. Christianity is more than church numbers: it's about justice. To build God's kingdom is to lift up those who have been cast down. Without doing that, we are missing the whole point. Old and New Testaments both are emphatic with this ( Deuteronomy 27:19 ; Amos 5: 21-24 ; Matthew 7:21 ; James 1:27) God of justice, have mercy on Your church. We recommit ourselves to Your will : the will that says "seek justice and defend the oppressed"                                                

'Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.' (Isaiah 1:17) What would a Christian society truly look like? Would it be one in which everyone goes to church? One in which we all read the Bible every day? One in which worship music tops the charts? If we follow God's word, a Christian society would be one that is free from inequality. One in which people looked after each other with kindness and compassion. Christianity is more than church numbers – it's about justice. To build God's kingdom is to lift up those who have been cast down. Without doing that, we are missing the whole point. Old and New Testaments both are emphatic with this (Deuteronomy 27:19; Amos 5:21-24; Matthew 7:21; James 1:27). Earlier in today's passage, God rejects his people's worship. God hates it. Why? Because there is injustice in the land. Because the cries of the marginalised are going unheeded. Because his

Not merely in the words you say Not only in your deeds confessed But in the most unconscious way Is Christ expressed Is it a calm and peaceful Smile? A-Holy light upon your brow. Oh no! I felt his presence while you laughed just now For me twas not the truth you taught To you so clear, to me so dim But when you came to me, you brought a sense of him.    And from your eyes he beckons me And from your heart his love is shed Till I lose sight of you and see The Christ instead.                                               Source Unknown

Romans 8: 22-27 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God. .................................................... Some luck lies in getting what you have instead of what you want which, you may be fortunate enough to realise, may well be what you would have wanted had you known.