Life has been such a blur since I became minister of Melness and Tongue parish last August. I haven't been keeping my main blog as up-to-date as I would have liked, never mind my Lenten blog. So I'm sorry if you've had to make do with the old stuff.
Jesus turned religious life upside-down. Instead of religion being all about what we do to make God happy with us, Jesus showed us that God wants us to be open to what He wants to do to make us happy with Him!
The photo above is a sign of hope shining brightly above the church building at Melness. That's the message that Jesus brought us that first Easter-time. God's love arches over all the earth, over all people, and it is free - the price has already been paid.
As ministers and members it is tempting to continue following our traditions. The patterns we have established are easier to follow. It is much easier to journey along a well-travelled road than it is to blaze a trail through untravelled territory.
But Jesus does not call us to travel the comfortable road. He blazed a trail where no-one had ever gone before. He calls us to follow Him. The challenge is to pick up our own Cross and carry it onwards to our destination. There the prize lies awaiting your arrival.
Sunday school races are always eagerly anticipated. There is a free prize on offer for the first to cross the line, and maybe for everyone else as well. Life is not always so generous with its prizes. But God is. He has a prize lying waiting for each person. It is a prize customised just for you. All you have to do is run the race and cross the finishing line.
Some of us began a challenge at the beginning of Lent away back on Ash Wednesday, on March 9th. We would give up some of life's luxuries and accumulate the money we save for a local charity. There are only 5 days left before the end of Lent on Easter Sunday. It's not too late to join in and set aside some money for a worthy cause.
One day a beggar asked Peter and John for some cash. They said they didn't have any. But they gave the guy something better - health and everlasting life. Jesus invites us to love God and to love our neighbours. Come on in and join the race of life.
