Trinity 15
Collect
Adam and Eve left the garden – Genesis 3: 23-24
The LORD God sent Adam forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life.
Abram left home to create a nation – Genesis 12:1
The LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.
A man left home to build a family – Ephesians 5:31
A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife.
A King comes to us – Luke 1:30, 31
The Saviour left to be with His Father – John: 10-13
Matthew 28: 18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’
Comings and Goings
Life is a process of continual change – some gradual, some more dramatic. Perhaps marriage, parenthood, retirement, serious illness, facing the inevitability of growing old. However excited and confident we may feel, deep down, there is always too a slight sense of uncertainty as we approach any significant lifestyle change. And this is the time of the year when many young people are stepping out into a new chapter of life – first day at school or college, perhaps a first job – and as parents, we try to disguise our feelings of concern as we realise that we have to trust them to the Lord and let go.
Scripture is full of stories of coming and going – life-changing journeys that affect each one of us everyday. We each have our own stories of departures – some joyous, some sad (Often both at the same time!). We learn that whenever we go to somewhere new, we run the risk of getting lost unless we take a map, and, like Theseus, make sure we have a way to find the way back home to security in case we’ve taken a wrong turning.
Fortunately, we do have a map. We have a compass We have learned from our experiences. We are taught by our memories. We have a home with the light left burning. We have our Bible. We have our counsellor. We have a home in Heaven. We have Jesus.
As we move on, we do so in In Him, with faith, hope and love. And thus all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.
So, a song for all the Mothers, Fathers, Grandmas and Grandads who are waving a farewell and praying God speed as they watch their children step out in excitement and hope at their new beginning. May the Lord Bless them and keep them safe. And you too, in your journeys.
Previous Posts
Praying Together 30th March 2025
As Julian of Norwich wrote, ‘the example of a mother’s service is closest, most willing, and most sure because it is most true’, and thus we use that example as part of our Lenten journey.
Praying Together 23rd March 2025
God gives us the freedom to make that choice, and will always offer us another chance when we fail, as He did to the barren fig tree.
Praying Together 16 March 2025
Unlike the other tragic heroes, Jesus has no flaw or blemish other than those inflicted by others: the scars on His back, the thorn-blood on His forehead, the betrayal by His friend.
Praying Together March 9th 2025
God’s demand for perfection need not discourage you in the least in your present attempts to be good, or even in your present failures.
Praying Together 2nd March 2025
God of the nations, whose sovereign rule brings justice and peace, have mercy on our broken and divided world.
Praying Together 23 February 2025
Meditation for the Second Sunday before Lent CollectAlmighty God,you have created the heavens and the earthand made us in your own image:Teach us to discern your hand in all your worksand your likeness in all your children;through Jesus Christ our Lord,who with you...
Praying Together 16th February 2025
And if you accept Him as Lord, allow Him to lead you as you walk into the future without looking back, and do what He has equipped you to do as His body on earth
Praying Together 9th February 2025
We are all asked to have the faith to put out into deep water, but we must remember that we will never be on our own. Peter’s ministry was made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit, as will ours.
Praying Together 2nd February 2025
We are all called to be the Body of Christ in His entirety – and we are to take the example of all ‘Saints’ who have gone before, both male and female, as models of our required behaviour.
Praying Together 26th January 2025
Most importantly, in the face of what appears to be a society built upon prejudice and hatred, we are sustained and strengthened by the knowledge that in the end, love will triumph, leaving the wordly values of the tyrant to be forgotten.
Praying Together 19th January 2025
Jesus has demonstrated His authority and power. He takes something ordinary, and it becomes extraordinary. He turns water to wine. He heals the past and offers a new future. He changes his followers from sinner to saint.
Meditations 5th January 2025
With the same eyes as the Magi, we look into the manger, see the light of the world – be it for the first time, after a dark time, or in our daily devotions – and every time we see something new.