That’s the theme for this year’s World Day of Prayer service. I’ve been invited to preach at the service in Lesmahagow on Friday and I’m looking forward to it, although as yet I have no idea what to say! (this is becoming a recurrent theme!) The readings are from Ephesians 4: 1-16 and Genesis 18: 1-18 and the theme is ‘United Under God’s Tent’. At first glance there doesn’t seem to be much relating the two readings and the theme but I guess at first glance things never seem related.
The service has been written by women from Paraguay and will be led by women from the local church here. I don’t think I’ve ever been to one of these services before. I’m not sure why not because it seems like the kind of thing I’d like. Anyway, I’ll be there on Friday night. Maybe by then I’ll have some clue about what to say… any ideas (or complete sermons) welcome!
Tee, hee, hee, I’ve been to several WDofP services. Can’t wait to hear what you’re saying after experiencing it for yourself…
Hmmm… a link….
Abraham was sitting at the door of his tent…. Paul was a tentmaker…. we’ve to be united under God’s tent….
….and that’s it so far.
If I feel otherwise inspired I’ll be sure to pass it on.
Exactly… it all seems a little tenuous. I think the ‘tent’ they have in mind is the sky, as in ‘we all live under the same sky so we should get along and work together’. I think that’s where I’ll end up going with it. Maybe…
I’ve decided to focus on verses 4-6 of the Ephesians reading. ‘There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.’
I’m going to talk about ‘who’s in and who’s out’ and the dangerous ground we get onto when we start making judgements about the kind of people who can come to our church or who are or are not Christians. If God is over all, through all and in all then who are we to judge?
…and Sarah laughed when she heard what God was going to do.
And she was proved wrong.
Who, indeed, are we to judge?
That’s my last line sorted! Thanks John!