Readings:
1 Kings 19:9-18;
Psalm85:8-13;
Romans 10:5-15;
Matthew 14:22-33

Collect:
Lord of heaven and earth,
as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer,
give us patience and courage never to lose hope,
but always to bring our prayers before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reflection

For some, the summer is a busy time: juggling work, childcare, and other commitments. For others it is quiet time when things seem to slow down, and many of our usual activities take a break. That might be experienced as a welcome rest, or it might be an unwelcome disruption to routine, or a source of loneliness. For others, there is little or no change, and our lives carry on in their usual routine. 

One change during August which we share in across Watling Valley is the replacement of the traditional sermon with a period of Dwelling in the Word. That is, a time to reflect together on the scripture for the day, prayerfully discerning what God might be drawing our attention to, both individually and as a church. The Holy Spirit speaks to and through each of us, so it’s good to take time to listen to one another, and in doing so we listen to God. 

Our readings for Dwelling in the Word this year are all parables, in which Jesus speaks about the kingdom of God. As he so often does, Jesus uses familiar everyday images and objects to help people understand more about the kingdom, and about who God is: grain, wine, yeast, and other ordinary, everyday things. It’s a good reminder that God is with us in the everyday and the ordinary stuff of our lives. 

Another thing the parables we are looking at this summer have in common is that they are about small things. Small things which make a big difference! Perhaps we might be inspired to think about how small things can make a big difference in our own lives. Perhaps we might be encouraged to look for God in the small things. Perhaps we might give some thought to what small things we can do and say that make a difference to other people’s lives, and point people towards the glorious reality of God’s kingdom, and towards encounter with Jesus. 

The kingdom of God is both a promise and a reality – that which is among us, and that which is to come. Very often we catch sight of it only in small glimpses. This summer, whatever it may bring for us in our various circumstances, let us be on the lookout for signs of God’s presence among us in the small and the ordinary, in the words of scripture as we read them together, and in the everyday stuff of our lives.

Ruth Harley