Faith journey

Yesterday a group from Engadine were at a Presbytery education day discussing what it means to be a healthy congregation. Part of our discussion was on sharing our faith, and what that might mean and how we can go about that.  

This week a person, who I was meeting for the first time asked me why I became a Minister, what was it that caused me to take this step? So I told her my story. And she told me her story.

She talked of having gone to Sunday School as a child, leaving as a 13 year old and leaving church behind. She is now very involved in community development, the peace movement and the women’s movement.

As we talked about the type of family we grew up in, the things that shaped us, there were points of connection. We found we both are working for some of the same things, equality, inclusiveness, justice, and peace. We are both interested in building strong communities that exhibit those qualities. Our motivations are not the same, mine is part of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, and hers is in response to some life situations.

During our recent holiday, Ian and I stayed in a cabin on a vineyard near Cessnock. One morning, I walked out the door, looking at the kangaroos in the bottom paddock, the blue sky, feeling the warmth of the sun, and there was something in that moment that was special, a sense of unity, wholeness, like God was as close as my breath.

You too may remember times where you were acutely aware of God’s presence.

Today I want us to think about how we relate to God being in our lives, and to God’s call on our lives.

Firstly, my friend Moses, God gets Moses’ attention with a burning bush. The God tells Moses that he has heard the cry of the people, and Moses will go to Pharaoh and tell him let the people go. And Moses says – who will I say sent me; what if they don’t believe me, and I’m not much of a speaker and …..

God gave Moses some signs for people, so they might believe, and God sent Aaron with Moses.

God heard the reticence in Moses voice, and responded, and Moses went, and eventually the people left Egypt for the Promised Land. It was not all smooth and easy, but the people of God were freed.

Then we come to Elijah, having been zealous for the Lord, killing the prophets of Baal, Elijah is now scared because the queen has threatened to kill him.

Elijah ran away, he camped out one night hoping to die, but in the morning he was told to eat, he travelled a long way to the mountain. He slept in a cave and God questioned Elijah - what are you doing here; and Elijah tells God how zealous he has been, and how his life is now threatened.  God said to Elijah: Go and stand on the mountain as I am about to pass by. And God was not in the wind or earthquake or fire, all things associated with the presence of God. God was in the still silence. And God asked Elijah again why he was there, and Elijah tells the same story, and God says go back; anoint these people for the future. There is still work for you to do.

John has been beheaded by Herod, as Jesus is going to grieve, the people want to be around him, they follow him across the lake, and that is where we have the story from last week of the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus puts the disciples in the boat to return across the lake, and goes to be by himself. As he is returning to the disciples, they see him coming across the lake, walking on water. Peter says if that is really you Jesus, tell me to come to you – and Jesus tells him to come, and he walks on the water. Now the disciples had been conscious of the waves and the wind and were scared, Peter forgets this for the moment, but when he remembered he was scared again, and started to sink. And Jesus holds his hand and helps him into the boat.

The disciples didn’t always get what Jesus was saying; the great prophets Moses and Elijah struggled to follow God’s call at times. But as the Matthew reading reminds us, it isn’t that Peter took his eyes of Jesus, we all do that; it is that Jesus doesn’t take his eyes of us. Sometimes it can be hard to believe that, hard to see it in our own lives; hard to recognise God when we are in a difficult place.

These stories are stories of people connecting with God, people who are willing to acknowledge their fears and shortcomings. Each of these people were called by God. Each of these people were fearful or failed in some way. These are stories of people being sent, being called. We too are called to be God’s people, to be disciples of the living Christ, to live empowered by the Holy Spirit. How do we respond to God in our life?

Spend a few minutes being aware of God in your life.

Is God calling you to some new place?

What is holding you back?