Fear or faith

I have spoken before on the importance of expecting the unexpected, being open to something new, being ready to receive a gift that you did not expect or deserve. Grace. It’s all about grace. God’s free gifts to us, poured out daily regardless of who we are, simply for being us, the adored children of a generous God. Expect the unexpected. What can be better than that?

Well, today’s readings invite us to receive better than that.

‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’

It turns out that the Kingdom of God is to be expected.

And we are to be ready for it.

“Sell your possessions, and give alms”… there is no need to hold tightly to what we have, instead give freely, because something better is coming.

“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit”… don’t be caught napping, be ready to always respond, because someone is about to arrive.

“Be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks”… better to be faithful and ready to serve, for then we will find that it is us who are looked after.

The Kingdom is to be expected. And we are to be ready for it.

Yes, yes, I hear you say, that all sounds very exciting, but really, look around, what do we see? Churches with less people, society riven with problems, countries at war with one another, basic human rights ignored, an environment in meltdown. Is the Kingdom really around the corner? Well, take heart, because when we find ourselves doubting, it is perhaps a sign that we have replaced faith, with fear. Fear and doubt become the prevailing voices when we take God out the equation. Bring God’s love and God’s promises into any situation and fear is driven out.

“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”.

This week's reading from Genesis recounts the promise that God made to Abraham.

“From you will come a great nation your descendants will be more numerous than the stars in the sky”. That’s a lot of descendants.

Abraham was not so different from all of us, he had his doubts at first. Come off it, he says, I am old and have no children. But rather than settle for what he had, Abraham swapped fear for faith, choosing to put his trust in God.

God brought Abraham outside of his tent and said,

“Look towards heaven and count the stars… so shall your descendants be”.

And what is important to remember with this verse, is that when Abraham looked up towards the sky it was still daytime.

In verse 5 Abraham leaves his tent, then in verse 12 we are told “as the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep…”, then later in verse 17 “when the sun had set, and darkness had fallen…”.

When God invited Abraham to count the stars it was daytime and Abraham was unable to see them. But Abraham chose to believe the Lord, a choice that the Lord counted as a righteous one.

So what does this mean for us, here, today? What would a righteous choice of faith look like for us? I suggest we start from the perspective that the Kingdom is to be expected, that it is God’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom. In which case the questions we need to ask are: As we look around us, what do we see that is not of the Kingdom of God? As we walk our streets, drive through our lanes, visit one another’s homes, listen to one another’s stories, what do we see that is not of the Kingdom of God?

Because we can expect that to change.

We can expect the Kingdom to come. In ways and places and times that are of God’s choosing. But come it certainly will. There is no need to hold tightly to what we have, instead be prepared to always step out, as faithful servants ready to serve, for then our heavenly master will serve us. In the same way that the first disciples took 5 loaves and 2 fish and found themselves able to feed 5,000 people we just have to start. God will do the rest.

So, please join in this season of listening to one another, and listening to those who live in our parish. If we ask ourselves, and those who we share this parish with, what do we yearn to see, what is lacking Kingdom wise, then let’s bring all those requests to God in prayer and watch what happens.

I invite you to join the conversation right now at westtone.gov.uk/conversation

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash