God is love, and those who live in love live in God; and God lives in them.

1 John 4: 16

 

March 2010

 

Dear Friends,

 

"I don't feel like it"

I have to say that mornings are not "my time of day"!  I don't like getting up and I'm not a chatty person until I've had my breakfast. It's just the way I am!

However, the "I don't feel like it" attitude is one which can, if we are not careful, affect our faith and we can become some what casual.

Having made our decision for Christ, we can too easily slip into an emotional attitude which gives us a let-out if we don't feel like it and our effort to worship can be overwhelmed by our "I don't feel like it" stance.  Sometimes it does take a great deal of effort  to practice our faith - especially on a cold Sunday morning.

In the next few weeks we will be reflecting on a group of people whose faith placed tremendous loads on their shoulders. The disciples had to endure a great deal of opposition as they followed Jesus rather than the established leaders of their faith. It would have been so easy for them to have used the "I don't feel like it" get -out card - especially when they had to live through those days following that evening when they shared their last supper with Jesus in that Upper Room.

And then, Jesus went into the "Garden of Gethsemane" well aware of the dangers he was placing himself in. It would have been so easy -and tempting - for him to get away because he "didn't feel like it" any more. Where would we be today if that had happened - I wonder?

As the twenty first century followers of Jesus we need to be careful that our "don't feel like it" attitude doest dominate our faith - especially during Lent, Holy Week and Easter when we are called upon to make a real effort to come together and worship.

Ian R

Events in the Diocese of Lincoln
Today's Prayer Focus
Fri 12th Mar - Barrow and Goxhill
Barrow and Goxhill
Parish Priest                Revd John Girtchen
Reader                    Ann Liles
Parish Lay Ministers        John Cherry
                        Debbie Crawford
Mark Hutson
Janet Shephardson
Sandra Smith
Ray Wardell, Kath Wells
We pray for the new initiatives at Holy Trinity, Barrow: S.O.S. at H.T.B.  (The Six o’clock Service) that it may draw new worshippers to an alternative celebration of Holy Communion, and give thanks for the continued growth of ‘Sat Navs’ – the monthly Saturday Morning all age family service and also for our fledgling ‘Puppet Ministry’.
Bradford (York, England)
The Rt. Revd David James