to know, grow and show the love of God
Moses was 80 years old. He’d been tending someone else’s flock for 40 years.
One day, he was out with the sheep, probably thinking about his pension plan, when he took a different path – and from there he saw a bush that was burning. His life completely changed direction…
But how long was that bush burning for, waiting to be noticed? How many other signs had Moses missed along the way, along the years?
It’s often said that history is written by the victors.
But what must it feel like to be defeated in war?
Ashamed, frightened, disorientated, demoralized, physically hurt, mentally traumatized, angry at those who promised that you would be victorious, relieved the fighting is over, struggling to survive, cold, hungry…??
As the Word made flesh and dwelling among us, Jesus physically demonstrated the continuity of God, his unchanging love and mercy that we can always count upon.
But he also showed us the God of surprises too. He changed what we thought about God and challenged the pre-conceived ideas that he came across in both society and religion.
In physical, bodily form – as the body language of God – Jesus re-imagined God for us.
What a lovely idyllic picture we have in our reading from Isaiah today.
Woody Allen once said of this vision: “The wolf shall lie down with the lamb. But the lamb won’t get much sleep!”
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centred; Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.
Shortly after the destruction, the cathedral stonemason noticed that two of the charred medieval roof timbers had fallen in the shape of a cross.
He set them up in the ruins where they were later placed on an altar of rubble with the moving words ‘Father Forgive’ inscribed on the Sanctuary wall.
Another cross was fashioned from three medieval nails by a local priest. The Cross of Nails has become the symbol of Coventry’s ministry of reconciliation.