Ezekiel 18:1-4; 25-32.             It’s just not fair !!!!                 25/9/11

 (Ezek 18:1-4)  The word of the LORD came to me: {2} "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: "'The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? {3} "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. {4} For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son--both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.

(Ezek 18:25-32)  "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear, O house of Israel: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? {26} If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits sin, he will die for it; because of the sin he has committed he will die. {27} But if a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life. {28} Because he considers all the offenses he has committed and turns away from them, he will surely live; he will not die. {29} Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? {30} "Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. {31} Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? {32} For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

 It’s not fair!  It’s just not fair! This is a cry we hear very regularly isn't it? Our children are continually whinging that parents or their teachers, are not fair: the unions and others groups are crying out for a fair deal: people in all walks of life are grumbling that they are being unfairly treated in all kinds of ways: and it is even a cry that we ourselves make - often - too often perhaps.

 And how often isn't that same whinging complaint made to and against God:  why haven't you treated us fairly? It's just not fair that our young son was killed in that accident! It's just not fair that we who are your people, should have to suffer bad years on the land or loose our job or business! Why should all those people have to suffer and die as a result of the tsunami and the hurricane? Why should I have to suffer hardship and pain when my evil neighbour is able to go about enjoying life? And on and on goes our whinging against God.

 Now sadly this complaint against God is nothing new. It seems that he has always had people complaining about his treatment of them. The Bible is full of it. In our text here we have it: the people of Israel complaining that God is making them suffer for the mistakes of their ancestors.

 Again, how often aren't we hearing the same thing today? Maybe not as a direct accusation against God; but the problems of our young people are the direct result of the environment that they grew up in: it's all in our genes: it's the way they were treated by their parents; the education was not good; they are suffering as a result of the abuses of the past. It's all just not fair - not fair at all.

In this text here however, we have God's reply to all these complaints of ours. Here God himself says to us; “'It is not fair.' Your complaints of it's not fair, are just not fair. You grizzle and say that I'm not fair, yet it is you who are not being fair. It is your ways that are unfair. You sit back and blame everyone and everything else for your problems, claiming that it is all their fault; my fault. Come on, you who are just looking for an easy road through life and not wanting to face the reality of your own life. Let me tell you, it is all your own fault, that you are facing those problems and that suffering: it is the result of the sin of humanity.”

He goes on; “let me tell you, every person; each one you will be judged by your own actions. The person who turns away from me and thinks that they can do as they please and who seeks to do their own thing, without regard for me, will surely die. The so called Christian who thinks that they can sit in church on Sunday morning and then for the rest of the week live as if there is no God; that person had better watch out – they might be in for big surprise.”

 “On the other hand the person who, no matter how evil and rotten they may have been, if they turn to me and seek to do good, then they will be saved. In other words, if they recognise that the way they are living is not right and turns back to me and seeks forgiveness and to live in accord with my will then they will get a fair deal from me.

 So do you think that that is being unfair? No! Is it not you who are being unfair?

Yes, God knows what you and I are thinking. He knows the motivation of our hearts and he will judge us accordingly. You may be able fool me and the rest of the people around you - but not God. And it is no good us blaming anyone else, if our thinking, focus and motivation is wrong. Yet if we are in the right with God we can face up to and put up with everything that comes our way, knowing that God is more than fair in his judging of us.

 So then recognising God is going judge us as individuals we need to heed his call of repentance. Each one of us needs to turn away from our offences and seek to live a God pleasing way of life. Our country may be rebellious and idolatrous; the whole morality of our nation maybe going downhill; but we are called not to follow. Just because others cheat, step on and use others to get their own way doesn't mean we have to. Just because others look after themselves and themselves only, being selfish and self-centred; we here are called on by God not to.

Now that of course doesn't mean that we sit back and do nothing either. Even though our country might be in mess and most people out there are heading down a different track and therefore the task in front us is difficult, we are called not sit around and do nothing. Instead we are to make every effort to live and act in an entirely different way; our focus is to be in a different direction.

 In place of all this rot that is around us, we need a new heart and a new spirit. There is a need for a heart that loves God and that puts him and his kingdom first: a heart that is totally committed to him and that trusts him and his ways. Instead of a heart that looks for the easy way out and that follows the ways of a disobedient world, we need a heart that is obedient to God. We need a heart that searches out what he would want us to do in every situation that we face – all the time - not just on Sundays; whether it be in our business, our sport, or in our relationship with others. In everything God wants a new heart within us; a loving heart; an obedient heart. And that is his call to each and every one of us.

 Here though, we need to remember that this is not something we get or can do on our own: this new heart is God's creation; it is his Spirit working this new spirit within us. This of course was created in each of us at our baptism. There God's Holy Spirit began his work within us, giving us this new spirit. He then continues to work in us wanting to help and guide us through his Word; doing everything he can to help us to live and be the people he wants us to be. So this change of direction that is constantly needed is not something we have to do on our own. We have God's Spirit, through his Word, actively seeking to do all in his power to assist us. Even today in the midst all the difficulties that we face, the Spirit is here to help make the changes necessary in our lives. Each day he seeks to take us back to our baptism where we again recognise that we have been made a new and different people. When we read, hear and meditate on God's Word, as we have it in the Scriptures and as we go to Holy Communion, there the Holy Spirit is at work empowering us and giving us what is needed to alter our lives.

 But when we don't come to worship; and read our Bibles; or think about God's Word, we are limiting his ability to help us and are not allowing him to do what he wants in our lives. We need to remember that it is primarily through the Word and Sacraments that the Holy Spirit works in our lives. So we are challenged to regularly spend time reading and hearing God's Word so making opportunities daily for that Spirit to help, strengthen, encourage and empower us to face the task before us.

 Then with this new heart and new spirit we can go forward with hope and confidence. We now know that through our being connected into Christ we can face whatever it is that comes our way. We know that just as Jesus was given a hard time, so also will we, as we live in this sinful world. Now, as we face these difficulties and tragedies we look to and gain our strength from our Lord and saviour, rather than in whinging. Even when we fail, we again can turn back to God in repentance knowing that in Christ we have forgiveness and the strength to continue on, come what may.

 So in conclusion then, let us turn back to God and live. Instead of griping and whinging, that ‘it is not fair,’ let us seek earnestly for this new heart and new spirit that God has and wants to work in us. And may that same God and Spirit richly bless you and give you that peace that is beyond understanding; and may he enrich your lives as you are drawn closer to him and are being strengthened and encouraged for the task that lies in front of us all. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Psalm 107:1.    St Marks 50^th Anniversary                              18/9/11

  Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Act 2:46-47.

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

 How great it is to be here today to celebrate and particularly to thank God for 50 years of God’s work in and through St Marks’ Congregation. We thank God for all of you here today, [the motley mob that you are] and for all those who have been connected here in one way or another throughout these last 50 years.

 It is amazing to look at you all here and to think that God has drawn you all together and blessed you, despite all the differences, personalities and issues that have been here over the years. Look around you, and see how we have been made up of a whole range of people; young and old; traditional Lutherans and new Christians; Africans, Asians, European and Australian: all brought together by God week by week through his Divine Service; for there he reminds us that he is here with us; that he forgives us; gives us through His Word what he knows we need for our daily life; where he gives us his very body and blood in holy Communion so that we can be sure that we are forgiven and that Christ is in us; and where he reminds us that He goes with us into the coming week to bless and keep us as we be his people in our day to day life.

 This congregation started out in a rented hall, that need to be cleaned up and set up before worship could begin. There however God would be present and give what was needed, in the Invocation; confession and absolution; readings and sermon; the Lords Supper; and blessing, so that this congregation could be established, built and grown. There God was at work, week in week out, establishing this congregation.

 Then when this congregation purchased the house here on this site and converted it into a worship centre, there God continued his Service of giving the same thing, week by week. He grew this little group into a strong, vibrant group to the point where this crowded little building was no longer sufficient. So comes the building of this wonderful building here, so that our gracious Lord could continue to weekly give his people what was necessary for their life and growth.

 Even when the numbers dwindled as time goes by, God continued to faithfully be present and give what he has always done. As people have come and gone; society has changed; and whims of the individuals for things new and exciting; as the secular world downplays and ridicules the Christian faith; as the busy-ness of life, all impacted this congregation, God’s Divine Service has been maintained. The essentials for this congregation’s life, has continued on.

 Whatever the latest program or style has been; the pastor that we have liked or not been impressed by; what the leadership has been doing or not doing; whether the numbers have been large or small, God has been here, week in week out, providing what has been necessary for the life and existence of his people. Whether we recognise it or not; whether we want it or not God has faithfully served us in this place through the means he has set for his church to be maintained. The Lord is good; his love has endured.

 So as members have continued to meet together here in God’s House, week after week; as they have received the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis; praising God with glad and sincere hearts; they have enjoyed the favour of people. And the Lord has added to their number as the years have gone by.

 Even in these days God himself has continued to draw people into our midst and bless them. Sure it may not always look grand and fancy; things may not always be done to perfection; the pastor may have had to hobble around; but God himself has been in the midst of all of this and has worked through our weakness and brought good to bear.

 On a regular basis, new faces appear in our midst, some to stay on and be very regular; others move on to pastures elsewhere or nowhere. Some of our regulars are very regular, while others are not so regular, but God has been here feeding and growing those who are, week in, week out. The Lord is good; his love has endured.

Notice in all of this; the one constant over that whole fifty years, has been God himself at work in the Divine Service every Sunday. While the regular liturgies have been used, God himself has been active. Where God’s Word is preached in truth and the Sacraments administered rightly, God has been at work bringing blessing and growth to his people.

 Sure, it may not always seem to be new and exciting and trendy, but God’s mercies are new every morning. Our worship may not be ‘ice cream and lollies’ but it is a good, rich and hearty meal for our souls. We have been reminded of God’s Law, which has shown us how far we have constantly fallen from being the people that God would have us be; but he also has regularly reminded and pointed us to Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. So he has renewed us, over and over again. We have much to thank God for, week after week.

 When we think through our orders of service that are used, we see how God is working to give to us what he knows that we need, whether we realize it or not. Every week at the very beginning of our services we are reminded that God himself is with us: And by virtue of our baptism into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we are able to be in God’s presence. Of course, being in God’s presence very quickly reminds us that we have sinned much in the last week; and so we have our time of confession and absolution, so that God himself can pronounce to each of us through the pastor, that as a result of Jesus’ death on the cross our sins are forgiven: we are assured that our sins will not be held against us.

 Then every week through the Bible readings and sermon our God speaks to us and tells us the things that he knows we need to hear. It often will not necessarily be what we want to hear; but it will be what we need to hear. It will be both a message of Law and Gospel. For we need to hear that we not only fall far short of being the people that God would have us be, but particularly that we have a heart that is turned in on ourselves and what we want, and so gets us into trouble over and over again. But then being brought to this realization, he through the message of Jesus Christ and his death on the cross, turns us to him and the forgiveness and help that we need in order for us to go forward in life with hope and confidence, allowing him to work in us the life that he would have for us; which is good and positive for us and for the people we come into contact with; but also that is for the good of our relationship with him.

 Then through Holy Communion, Jesus gives us his very body and blood which he shed on the cross, so that we can be very sure that he died for each one of us individually and for us all as a whole and so we can be assured that we are forgiven and that salvation and eternal life are ours, guaranteed. So having received him in this way we are able to go forward with joy and hope to be the people that he wants us to be throughout the next six days.

Then before he sends us out from that Service to do this he pronounces his blessing to us. He tells us very clearly that he will go with us to bless us and keeps. He will make his face shine on us and what we do; and that he will be gracious to us. He will look with favour on us and give us his peace, throughout the week. He will be with us always.

 So week by week God himself has and will continue to richly bless this congregation in this way: Giving us so much that is good and beneficial. Over and over again he will point us away from ourselves and our wants and desires, to Jesus Christ himself and the vital importance of his death on the cross for us and for our salvation. For it is there in the Lord Jesus that this congregation has had its beginning and been blessed throughout the past fifty years. And it will be him alone who will maintain and grow this congregation into the future. Oh, Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

So to him again and again be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.

Genesis 50:15-21.                   God turns evil into good              11/9/11

 (15)  When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" {16} So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: {17} 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept. {18} His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said. {19} But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? {20} You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. {21} So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

 Joseph said, ‘You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good.’ Despite all of the trouble and rottenness and tragedy that had taken place in his life he could say it was all for the best, and above all he can say it to those who had caused him all those years of heartache and misery. But that was Joseph; can we here say the same thing today? Can we have the same confidence and assurance that despite all the bad and evil that has, is and will happen to us; that God will bring good out of it? Can we be so sure that God will turn evil into something good and beneficial? As we look around us it is hard to see that it can be so.

 The world around us is full of pain and evil and uncertainty, and as we look forward we can see that things will probably get worse before they get better. There are never-ending reports of murders, rapes and other violence; not to mention cancer, aids and other sicknesses and accidents that are shattering lives. There is the threat of war hanging over our heads; and then, even within the church, there is division, a loss of members and a growing divergence of thinking and practice. And I could go on and on. So where is the good – is there any to be found? Yes, often there seems to be very little. Evil seems to have taken control in a society that is running off the rails, and it is shattering life after life as people see little hope for the future. It appears that we are on a downhill slide and all is lost.

 But is it? Not according to God and his Word. There are two separate, yet connected thoughts that we need to keep in mind.

First of all, let us think about Joseph and his situation again. He too, had every reason to think doom and gloom; that all was lost; and to be very bitter and negative: Then to use his new found position to get back at those who caused him all the trouble in the first place. Remember he had been given that dream and promises by God that he would be head over his family and that he would have an important role to play in God’s kingdom, and among his people.

But what happened – his own brothers sold him off into slavery in Egypt. There he underwent many years of heartache and misery, before managing to become right hand man to one of the leading politicians. But then everything fell apart again as the lady of the house wants to take Joseph to bed with her. When he says no, she sees to it that he is thrown into prison discredited and forgotten: left to share life with the rats and the criminals. One would think that by this time he would have been screaming out to God, or given up hope altogether: Certainly thinking of, if only he could get even with his brothers for all of this.

 Can we suppose that he found it easy to trust God and to stay calm? Those promises of God must have been very distant through much of that time, or a source of thought that it has all been tragically taken from him. But as history continues on we see how God turns the whole situation around and uses Joseph’s life in Egypt to save his whole family. “God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people, who are alive today because of what has happened.’

 Now this is just one of many recorded incidences of how God has turned an evil rotten situation into something good and beneficial. They all show that despite the stupidity and evil that we as human beings get ourselves into, God is still concerned enough about us that he intervenes and uses our evil to bring about a greater good in the long term. He turns a bad situation into something good.

Particularly at a later point in history we see this coming out in a most decisive way of all. We have a man who lived a perfect life here on earth: he helped and cared for people: he healed them and pointed them to what is important in life: and above all he remained in a very close, personal relationship with our Father in heaven. He looked as if he would be the one hope and saviour that our world needed. But for all of this he was strung up on a cross to die like a criminal. What makes it an even greater tragedy was that this man was God’s very own Son: come into our world to help us out.

 What do we do with him? We rejected and killed him to get him out of the way, so that we could continue to be free to live as we choose. Sadly today we are still doing the same thing, even within the church; we are pushing him aside and taking our focus off of him and what he has done for us through his death and resurrection, and we continue to want to focus on ourselves and what we want. So again evil appears to have won out convincingly.

 Yet in Jesus death on the cross, we see the greatest turnabout in all of history. Jesus’ resurrection shattered death and eternal separation from God forever: done away with, finished; gone forever. Forgiveness is now there for each and every one of us, no matter who we are or what we have done. What joy: what peace: what good, is now there for you and me. In the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ we see God’s great action in our world for good. In his suffering, death and resurrection we now know that there is life and salvation for all. God has chosen to work in and through the rough and tough of life, to bring eternal life to us and to reveal his goodness toward us.

So now also, in the midst of evil and as a result of it, we can know that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Through thick and thin he is there for us; and even when we face death itself, we know that it is not the end: But in many ways the beginning of a new and perfect life with our God in heaven.

Because of God’s love in and through our Lord Jesus and the forgiveness he has made possible, in the midst of evil, we are able to go forward confidently in all that we do and face. We can even extend that love and forgiveness to those around us, and so even bring more good into life. As the Gospel reading today reminds us, we can forgive and forgive, 70 x 7. Why? Because we know that we are forgiven and our lives are taken care of, even though we are facing difficulty or even some tragedy. We have the assurance of eternal life, and so no matter what we face or what others do to us, we have what is important. So evil has been turned into good.

 Here today then, our Lord gives us a wonderful assurance as well as a challenge. Yes, our lives and the future may be full of evil and hardships because of sin, but God reminds us and promises us that despite this, he has good in mind for us, and for others as well. It may well be that He will allow this mess that we are making for ourselves in this country to get worse for a while, but through it he may well bring people back into believing and trusting in him. He will bring good out of it, as long as we do not continue to reject him and what he has to offer.

 Whatever the situation, we can face the future confidently and positively, and yet realistically, because of this assurance that God has our lives under his watchful, caring eyes. And no matter what evil takes place, we know that we can trust that he will turn it into good. No matter what happens to us along the way through this life, we know that he has secured a place for us alongside himself in eternity. Knowing that, means that we can also forgive and forgive, and help others, and so turn bad situations into something good and positive. Sure many have and will reject this, but they are then bringing on them selves the destruction that awaits those who reject Christ. For us however, let us go from here today, with that same assurance from God, that Joseph gave to his brothers; ‘You have nothing to fear. I will take care of you and your children.’ May our gracious Lord grant this faith to each and every one of us.  AMEN.  

 Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish

Romans 13:8-14.                                 Wake up!!                                                       4/9/11

 (8)  Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. {9} The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbour as yourself." {10} Love does no harm to its neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law. {11} And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. {12} The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light. {13} Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. {14} Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

 Wake up! Wake up! Yes, I know that the sermon has just started and you have not had time to fall asleep yet. But that is the message of our text here. Wake up, for it is time to get to work: to get on with being the people that we are called to be. So stop dreaming and getting caught up in our own self-interest; because our salvation is nearer now than it ever was before. Wake up!

 As I thought and mediated on this reading I found that this message applies to us all. Spiritually, we are all in various stages of a coma. To a greater or lesser degree we are all spiritually asleep: often feeling safe and secure between the blankets of our faith. She’ll be right; I'm OK. So we go on thinking about ourselves and our own lives and pleasures; physically, sexually, intellectually and spiritually: self-focussed and self-absorbed. Not all that concerned about our Christian life; except those bits that make us feel good and that are advantageous to us.

 At the same time today we often have little real concept off the holiness of our Lord and of Godly fear. We seem to fail to consider that we are dealing with God Almighty himself: the one who has the power and control over all things, and in whose hands our destiny rests. He is a great and awesome God who at the same time loves and cares about each one of us, no matter how bad we really are. In fact he loves us that much the he has saved us from the mess that we have made for ourselves and has given us a better way to live. Yet so often we give little or no thought to him in thankfulness and appreciation of all this that he has done for us; except of course when we want him to do something for us. Nor do we consider the outcome of what will happen to us if we are considered to have turned our backs on him and all that he has done for us.

 Yes, we have put our hand to the plow of our Christian life: we call ourselves Christians; but so often it seems that our eyes are only looking back; having a form of godliness, yet denying its power. In others words, we acknowledge the importance of Christ and Christianity by saying that we are Christians and that we belong to the church and all of that; yet in many ways we are not seeking to live under God and his Word. We neither want to accept his authority and Lordship over us, or seek to live in and take seriously what his Word calls us to be and do.

 That being the case, Paul says to us, that the hour has come for us to wake up from our slumber, because our salvation is nearer now then ever before.

So wake up - wake up, you who are falling asleep in the pews. Wake up, pastor in the pulpit. Wake up, for it is time to get serious.

 Here Paul uses a wonderful analogy to help us to understand this truth. His analogy is that of waking up at the dawn of new day.

At the dawn of a new day, what happens?

Let us use the example of Jack. Jack has just had a night out on the town, partying; eating, drinking and being merry: wine, women and song; you know how it goes. The dawn of a new day comes shortly after he gets to bed, and now the alarm is ringing; it is time to get up and go to work.

 What is Jack going to do? His head is throbbing and he is still more than half asleep. But, is he going to stay in bed, dreaming of the lovely lady that he had shared the night with and the good time that they had? Is he going to keep lying there thinking of perhaps another such party tonight? Is he simply going to think only of himself and pleasures that he wants to have?

 He might like to do this; but even he knows that if he wants to have these things, then he has to work. So at the dawn of the new day he gets up, takes a couple of aspirin and showers. He focuses on what he has to do for the day. So he tucks into a good breakfast, puts on his work gear and sets off to do what needs to be done.

Jack knows full well that if he turns up late, seedy and hung over; thinking only of the party that he had and the pleasures he wanted for himself, without his mind on the job, he would very quickly get the sack. Then all would be finished anyway. As he thinks about this, Jack knows what has to be done. At least he is worldly wise; he knows what is expected and what is needed there.

 But what about us? Are we so wise in our Christian life? Are we?

Well, wake up! Wake up!
We have been given the greatest and best that we could ever expect to have. At our baptism we were joined to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We have been brought into the family of God and given eternal life with him. We have the greatest party in front of us, guaranteed by Jesus Christ himself. And it is getting nearer all the time. Are we now going to loose it all, because we want to doze our way through this life? Are we simply going to thinking only of ourselves and the pleasures we want to have here and now?

 No, we have every reason to get up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to get on with God's work: loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and loving our neighbour as ourselves. Surely we will now put aside the deeds of darkness, and put on the armour of light. Surely we will now clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, not thinking about how to  gratify the desires of our sinful nature. In light of all that Jesus has done, and continues to do for us, let us wake up and get on with it all.

 Yes, as we begin each new day we need to take our aspirin, shower to freshen up and clear our head. We daily need to go back to our baptism and our need for forgiveness, to rid ourselves of our hangover and guilt for our past selfishness'. As the dawn appears we seek a clear head for the task ahead. We do not want to carry the baggage of our past failures into another new day.

Then knowing that the task ahead during the day is an arduous one, we tuck into a hearty breakfast; spending time in God's Word so that we might be strengthened and encouraged for whatever might be in front of us. We do

so, in order that we might be able to clearly focus on what God would have us do throughout the day. We do so knowing that we have God's assurance of help as we do. In this way we clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, putting on our armour for the day ahead.

 Because we know the difficulties and dangers that are about us, and the temptations to follow the crowd and fall back to a life of selfishness, we want to be clear-headed in our thinking: so we will constantly seek to gain all the protection and help we can, as we focus on Christ and his Word. We will seek God’s Spirit to help and guide us throughout the day.

 Then as we go forward in this wav, we will find that instead of darkness both in our thinking and the life that we live, we will have light and life.

We will be able to see far more clearly what needs to be done and have clearness of vision to carry it out: Love will encompass and determine all that we do. We will have love for God and neighbour.

 So instead of the focus being on ourselves and our own pleasures and desires we will now be outward focussed; seeking constantly to do what is best for God and his kingdom. In so doing, great blessings will occur and greater glory will go to him who is truly great; our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

 We do this, understanding the present times. The future dawns in front of us. The night is gone and the day is at hand; so let us wake up. Wake up for we have so much to live for; so much to do; so much love to give. Now is the opportunity that we have been given, to stand up and do that which God is calling us to do, in the midst of difficult and tempestuous times. The world around us is hung-over, and in pleasure thinking mode. The time is short and the need is great; so may God rouse us all out of our slumber and help us to go forward bright-eyed and bushy tailed to love and give of ourselves as he requires.

Let us remember that our great and glorious God has done so much for us. He has died for us and forgiven us: eternal life is ours in connection with Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. So again, let us get on with the task that is before, for to our great God be all glory and honour, now and always. AMEN.

Pastor Roger Atze

Glandore/Underdale Lutheran Parish