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The Speechless Sing - Page 34

  • for Holy week

    When all the noise is over, where will we be?
    When the singing, dancing, celebration has ended, where will we be?
    When the fun comes to an end, and the crowd slips away, where will we be?
    In the place of power and authority, when Jesus debates the issues of the day with the opinion-shapers and the legal-guardians, where will we be?
    In the vineyard, as the tenants decide that the heir must die, where will we be?
    When God’s children are raised to life, where will we be?
    When the place of power and authority is torn down and chaos reigns, where will we be?
    When the betrayer slips through the night, to whispered plots and plans, where will we be?
    Around the table of uncertainty and hope, where will we be?
    Around the kingdom’s throne where will we be?
    When the arguments rage about greatness and power, where will we be?
    When the disciples are tested, abused and ignored, where will we be?
    When the powers-that-be emerge from the night, where will we be?
    In the courtyard of rumour, gossip, suspicion and lies, where will we be - when the cock crows in the morning?
    In the courtroom of deceit, innuendo, accusation and power abused, where will we be - when the crowd bays “Crucify!”?

    When he walks with the cross to the hill, where will you be?
    When the nails are hammered through muscle and sinew, where will you be?
    When the thief is promised paradise, where will you be?
    As the sky turns black and the sun refuses to shine, in whose hands will you be?
    As the body is removed and entombed, where will you  be left to lie?

    When heaven grieves, where will you be?
    When earth shrugs and flicks the channels looking for another show, where will you be?
    When the crucified one quietly whispers, “Follow me”, where will you be?

    © Craig Muir 2007, 
    permission is given to copy this text for worship on a non-commercial basis using this acknowledgement.

  • St. Andrew's 18 March 2007

    First my apologies to anyone who has looked in over the last couple of weeks - I'll claim pressure of work for a fortnight ago and disappointment of going to to watch City at Blackburn for last week. This week we are back for the best or parables - you could preach this every week and find something different - today is influenced by Mother's Day and a number of recent deaths.


    Luke 15.1-3, 11b-32

    A Story of Loss.
    Lost - mother, son, brother, relationships, ambition, innocence, pride, dignity, wealth, children
    This Week - Phyllis, our loss of a good friend - her sadness at the loss of contact with son & grandchildren has made Mother's Day a sad day in her calendar
    - Harry's memorial service - another long life well lived - died suddenly on the  far side of the world.
    - Isaac - stillborn child of Anthony and Samantha - holding Isaac,  talking about a funeral and how they can live without him - a loss whose pain most of us can not imagine - but a loss a few of you have also experience, and continue to live with.

    God - knows such loss - this story tells of God’s children wishing God dead and breaking away - losing inheritance, innocence, relationship, failed ambition, broken lives - Gospel is Jesus - God’s son being sent into a broken world - and lost to lonely death.

    God knows the loss Phyliss has lived with, God knows the loss Samantha and Anthony  know at this time and will know as they move through life, God knows the loss you are facing at this time.

    A Story of Grace
    Not left there - in the midst of despair, grief, loss - story of Grace - not repentance - Father/Parent never stops loving, he waits, watching, expecting, hoping, - and the child returns - one who has lost everything, except his readiness to deal - no time, no opportunity - rushing, celebrating, welcoming - no deals - just Grace.

    However lost we may be, however far we have travelled, whatever pain we carry, - God welcomes the lost children and throws a party for everyone.

    Let us come to God as lost children and know grace.