Welcome to our Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the third Sunday of Lent. Our Church services are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11 am at St Thomas'. If you're not able to be with us in person, you will find some resources below so that you can worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "The Lord's my Shepherd"
Today's Bible Reading
Exodus 17: 1-7Water from the Rock
From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
The people quarrelled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people?
They are almost ready to stone me.” The LORD said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarrelled and tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”
Reflection
“Is the LORD among us or not?” This could be paraphrased as, “Where on earth is God when you need Him”? Maybe you’ve heard people ask the same question in times of loss or need. It might be when something personal has happened, for example when someone very young dies unexpectedly from a sudden illness or an accident. On the other hand it could be a major catastrophe like the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria or the ongoing drought in Africa.
At times like these we often forget the many blessings that God has provided. That was certainly the case for the Israelites as they wandered through the wilderness where God was guiding them. They seem to have forgotten that God had freed them from their slavery in Egypt. That He had miraculously parted the Red Sea for them to escape. God had also provided food in the form of quail and manna for them when they were previously starving in the wilderness of sins.
What’s even more incredible in this case, is that God was present with them, manifest in the form of a cloud. So it seems remarkable, given all this, that they would begin to question God’s presence with them. Yet here they are desperately thirsty in the soaring heat of the desert, quarrelling with Moses in God’s presence and even testing God Himself.
Despite this, God yet again choses to demonstrate that he is a loving and compassionate God, and by His grace provided them with water in abundance. Whilst we may not see God’s presence with our eyes (in the form of a mysterious cloud), I believe we see God’s presence in the evidence of miracles and the heroes He provides. The miraculous survivors buried beneath building for over a week, people who put their own lives at risk by standing up against corruption and oppression, or those that run into burning buildings without any protection or training. Also those who help locally in foodbanks and visiting the lonely and so many other things. It is in times of adversity that we can see and feel the Lord’s presence. Adversity is therefore not an argument for God’s absence but for His presence. Paul
Our Prayers
Creator God, forgive us when we are afraid and blame you for things in difficult times.
We praise and thank you for grace and presence in our lives and all that we do.
Lord we thank you that you sent your son Jesus to be our rock of salvation and hope.
We pray that our trust and faith in You will not falter when we are in need or suffering
Amen
Today's final hymn is "And Can It Be That I Should Gain"
