Reading, Reflection and Prayer

Richard and Ruth talk about the bible reading scheme they're currently using to read through the bible in 49 days. They're both really enjoying it. Jesus mourns over the state of Jerusalem, and wishes he could gather its inhabitants like a mother hen gathers her chicks.

We talk about the delights of English meat pies - one of which Richard is planning to make later. Jesus talks about the small seed that becomes a large plant, and the yeast that works through the whole dough. Also about the few who choose to enter by the narrow door. Often pursuing the Kingdom involves little actions and moment by moment every day choices.

Ruth and Richard talk about a Lenten goal to read the bible through. About an hour and a half a day is enough to read it cover to cover - perhaps the length of a netflix show and an hour idling time away on social media. We read a story of a synagogue ruler who cannot get his head around Jesus healing a woman on the Sabbath.

Ruth shares about the Stephanotis that she's brought in - a flower that she remembers her mum giving her as a child. We read Jesus' call to repentance - which is a theme in Luke's gospel, and communicated with urgency in today's passage.

Ruth talks a little bit about her recovery from bunion surgery. We read a hard passage from Jesus where he talks about not coming to bring peace but division. What is the central point of that?

We think about Lent coming up tomorrow and the way in which we approach it as an opportunity to recalibrate our spiritual lives. The passage from Luke encourages us to faithfully continue the work of the master even though we are in a period of waiting when we don't quite know when the next thing is going to be happening.

Ruth brings in a beautiful cyclamen - a foretaste of spring and new life. We think about Jesus' teaching for us not to worry. It's easy for us to overthink what we will eat or drink or wear, and to focus on building our own wealth. All these strategies don't guarantee nothing bad will ever happen to us and we need to recalibrate our trust in God regularly.

Ruth shares about the sparrows she was seeing outside the window. God cares for each one, and we can trust that God loves us too. Our passage of scripture reminds us not to put our trust in wealth with the story of the man who built bigger and bigger barns and then died. You don't take it with you!

Our passage today both instructs us to fear God and also that he cares for every single sparrow. We need to read the passage carefully to understand the goodness of God properly. We talk about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, and consider that if you reject God in your heart it becomes impossible to receive forgiveness from him.

The Morgan household is getting more chaotic as hybrid school is a new choice. Jesus declares woe to the Pharisees and then the teachers of the law. They pay attention to the details of the law, but miss the big picture.