Day 68 - Trust in your strength

I don’t know how many of you worship in churches which follow the Revised Common Lectionary, but today’s readings are a gift for Bible study or a sermon. The set psalm is Psalm 23. Within the Gospel reading we read that Jesus said: ‘My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand’ (John 10:27-28). The designated First Reading is from Acts, where Peter raises Tabitha (aka Dorcas) from the dead. I wonder about this passage; did Peter bring her back to life simply because ‘she was devoted to good works and acts of charity'? Acts 9:36

Alistair Smeaton wrote a lovely and very honest prayer published in ‘Ordinary Time’ the Prayer Handbook for 2013:

Sometimes devotion is deadly.

Sometimes charity is a killer.

Sometimes it is all too much.

In our desire to serve you by serving others

I go beyond my strength.

I am burnt out or I burn myself out.

I become like Dorcas

with loved ones weeping

over my shattered existence.

When I drive myself beyond the limit,

I pray that you will send me people like Peter

who can put out a hand and a prayer

raising me back

into the fullness of life that you promise.

And maybe next time

I will take a little rest, for Jesus did,

and trust in your strength.

Let’s focus on Revelation 7:9-17 and ask the question: What is Heaven like? No-one this side of the grave can know for certain, but I have a possibly controversial view of what it isn’t like. ‘I know my granny is looking down on me.’ (For granny substitute any relative.) No, she isn’t! Heaven is where God is and thus it is perfect.

In John’s vision there is a multitude from every nation, tribes, peoples and languages, all robed in white with palm branches in their hands. The reason the robes are white is because they have been washed in the blood of the lamb. Alistair Smeaton has the same perspective on the white robes as I have. He writes: "Not just white, but whatever colours you have created our lives to be".

There are two features in John’s writing that I wholeheartedly agree with: there is constant singing of praise to God and the woes of our earthly life are over: ‘They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat for the Lamb …will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ (Rev 7:16-17)

The other readings reveal that Scripture writers realise that Heaven, the afterlife, eternal life is something we, as finite human beings, are concerned with. Dorcas, although restored to useful life, like Lazarus, will still face death at some time. And let’s finish with the comforting words of Psalm 23:6b - I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Elaine Kinchin