Today’s passage, as is far too frequently the case, left me puzzled initially as to what its meaning for us today might be. However, in meditating upon it I came up with the conclusion that it has to do with the tension between the Law, that is, measuring up or being ‘good enough’ for God, and grace, which is accepting that we can never ‘be good enough’ and therefore need to accept God’s free gift of salvation. And whether we truly accept that grace, or still strain mightily to measure up, is still an issue for many people today.

One of my father’s favourite hymns was “Eternal Father, Strong to Save”, also known as the Mariner’s Hymn. Most of its verses end with the phrase 'for those in peril on the sea’, and well might this sentiment apply to many of us, at least at times. We may not feel ‘physically’ at sea, but we may feel awash with conflicting thoughts and feelings and duties. We may feel quite overwhelmed at times, and so this hymn, and today’s psalm and meditation, can be quite appropriate.

Today’s Scripture passage is probably one that doesn’t get much press, simply because it is hard to see how this short episode from Jesus’ life applies to any of us. However, to me the mere fact that He was so eager to learn and grow in the faith--you’d think that because He was God, He wouldn’t need to--suggests to me that we should do likewise.

And then the last line about His growing in 'wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man’ (to quote the old King James Version) says something about a balanced approach to life. He grew intellectually, physically, spiritually and society, so shouldn’t this be a model for each of us. If it was ‘good enough’ for Him, it should be for us as well.

Most of us don’t go up on a mountain or into a desert, expecting to be whomped over the head by God. We may expect some sort of clarity or enlightenment, but nothing at all like what Moses experienced in today’s story. Not only did he experience the burning bush and hear the very voice of God, but he was given a commission that literally changed his life forever. That in itself is pretty spectacular, but what is even more incredible, was that he was open and ready for it--and therefore, said ‘yes.’ May that be true of each of us, no matter how or where or when God reveals Himself to us and speaks to us.

In today’s passage the apostle Paul gives us just one list of ministry gifts, just one list of several that we can find scattered through his various letters. As such, it is by no means exhaustive. For instance, I happen to think that playing an instrument can often be a God-given gift, or the ability to plan out projects, or the ability to set out or format a page for printing. As far as I know, none of these are listed by St. Paul. And there are a myriad of other gifts as well, hospitality for instance, or caring, or noticing a need and responding to it. Indeed, I would suggest that all of us have one or more gifts, gifts that are often unrecognized by ourselves or under-utilized. I would suggest that it is most important for our church and our world that we make use of these.

Be that what it may, perhaps even more important is that we apply them with love. Almost every gift or ability we humans possess can be applied in something of a ‘bull in a china shop’ manner, causing far more upset and mayhem than necessary, and not really contributing to our overall well-being. So, I bid all of us to find and use our gifts, but to do so in a loving, gracious and respectful way.

Do you find yourself being ‘bugged’ about events or people, or complaining about them, either silently or aloud? If you do, I think you are in good company, for even today’s psalmist was in this crowd. He found a solution to this in joining other people at worship. I would also suggest Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:4-9, which is to go to God with prayer and supplication (the more specific the better) and thanksgiving, and trust God to settle and safeguard our thoughts and emotions. I know that is is particularly addressed to the question of worries but I think that it applies to other things as well. All the best in this.

One of the sad things of our world, and particularly of the Christian church, is that many of us feel that we really don’t have much in the way of gifts that we can offer to others, and thusly, feel that what we have or can do isn’t worth very much. Fortunately, this is not true, at least for Christians. The apostle Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit has given gifts to every single one of us, and that these gifts are important and needed, in serving both God and others. So, our task, firstly, is to try to identify those gifts--sometimes others can be of help here, in pointing out gifts that we haven’t recognized, that we didn’t know that we had. And then, secondly, to experiment with putting those gifts to work. And, if it doesn’t come easy at first, not to worry. Trying anything for the first time, whether walking or riding a bicycle or anything else, always will have a few fumbles and mishaps. And know that that the Lord is there, leading, empowering and working in you.

I have often wondered; what would it be like for us if we took a less ‘worried’ attitude about our material things, in particular, our finances. I find that people in general, at least in the world that I occupy, take one of two approaches. Either they worry about where the next dollar will come from, or they worry that what they do have won’t last. Either way, it is not the lack of ‘carefulness’ about money that Jesus espouses with His talk about the birds of the air and the lilies of the field (see Matthew 6: 25-34). Both of these beings could seemingly just ‘relax’, relax in the knowledge that God was taking care of things. In a sense, that is what we find in the stories of Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 and the 4,000. Jesus was able to say to them, ‘just relax. You already have what you need.’ It is a wonderfully freeing feeling, and not one that I am particularly good with. With me it isn’t a matter of money, but just allow one of my books to get misplaced, and I’m more than frantic. So, maybe the answer is in being able to trust God more fully, very truly a work in progress.

Some time ago, at one of my former places of residence, I was leaning over the fence talking to my neighbour, who was a drummer in a rock band. I said to him, “You know, there might come a time when we need you to come and share your talents during our church worship.” He exclaimed, rather pointedly, 'Oh no, the Lord wouldn’t know what to do if the likes of me showed up there.’ I said, ‘Try Him, you might just be surprised. God accepts and includes everyone.’ The fellow wasn’t convinced, or at least, not at that point, but my message is true. God loves, accepts, values, and includes everyone, no matter who they are. This is one of the messages of today’s Scripture passage and meditation and is a good one for us to remember--and share.

While my meditation for today was based on a passage from Ephesians, the gospel for today was from John, the story of the nighttime meeting between Jesus and Nicodemus. Here--at least the way that I read it--was a man who ‘had everything’ and yet was still searching. In spite of ‘everything’, his life was empty--and so he came to Jesus looking for answers. He is like the second kind of person that I mention in my meditation, and indeed, is this not like a lot of people in our world today. All the more reason to reach out to them with the Gospel.

Back in March/ April of 2021 the Canadian magazine, Walrus, published an article entitled, “Climate Blues: More and more people are seeking therapy to treat anxiety about the future of the planet.” I would suggest that this level of anxiety has increased, not decreased, over time, and has increased in spite of the various measures that have been introduced to try to deal with the question of climate change. I would suggest that people are now more stressed than ever, and about other things as well, things like health and politics and world affairs.

It is a very challenging and disturbing world in which we presently live, a world that certainly fits in with the psalmist’s words about transience and instability. And so, his words about the permanence and stability and reliability of Almighty God are certainly welcome. Indeed, they are things that we need to embrace, hold on to, and trust in wholly.

Saint Paul had a heart for people and a passion for them that they might all come to know and love Jesus. It was so important for him because he knew from his own experience what it was like to be outside of the love of God and to try to ‘earn’ that love by doing all the right things and following the rules, but never feeling ‘good enough’, never feeling that he ‘measured up.’ And so, that is why he was so zealous, so single-minded about sharing the Good News.

So, what about us? Do we have that same heart for people, that same passion, that Paul had? Unfortunately, those can grow dim over time. I know that for me, when I first came to Christ, they were very, very strong. After all, I had experienced that feeling of ‘never being good enough’, never ‘measuring up’--and then, in Christ, knowing for the first time that I was loved and accepted unconditionally, loved and accepted and valued regardless of what I did or did not do. What a relief, and what a wonderfully freeing idea. I sense that I need to reawaken those thoughts. How about you? Maybe this is something that we need to rediscover, reawaken, as God’s people, so that we might become more intentional and deliberate in sharing, and being, that Good News.

The latter part of Psalm 95, the Venite, makes the claim that many of God’s people ‘did not know my ways’ and gives this as the reason why they were ‘wayward in their hearts.’ In contrast to this, we have today’s psalm, Psalm 85, where the psalmist relates his experience of God’s mercy and loving kindness, his experience of ‘knowing God’s ways’, and applies this as his justification for seeking God’s help and submitting himself to God’s direction and care.

And surely this is something that we can relate to. We too have experienced God’s love and care, and so, should not we respond in similar fashion, with love and devotion most certainly but with honour and respect and obedience as well.

In his description of the ‘race of life’ in Hebrews 12 verse, its author suggests two things that can impede us in running that race. On of them is rather obvious, ‘the sin that just won’t let go.’ The other is undefined, unlabeled, and is simply described as ‘everything that slows us down’, that is anything that gets in the way. I don’t know about you, but for me that could be a myriad of things, habits, prejudices, ambitions, natural inclinations, you name it. It is those kinds of things that our passage and meditation for today suggest, and what a better time to prayerfully consider such things as in this season of Lent.

There is nothing new under the sun, and certainly, when it comes to the sinfulness and waywardness of human nature, this must undoubtedly be true. Ever since Adam and Eve we have generally stood with Frank Sinatra in wanting to ‘do it my way.’ That’s why repentance, that is, turning our lives over to God, and faith, that is, trusting Him with our lives is so difficult. That’s what it was like for the audiences in today’s Scripture reading, just as it is for us here today.

There are many profitable lessons that can be gleaned from the story of Joseph and his brothers in the Hebrew Scriptures, most certainly with the story of Joseph himself, being ‘sold’ into slavery (like us being ‘sold’ into sin by Adam and Eve), suffering profusely and forgiving, even as Christ suffered and forgave us. But today, I want to dwell on one of the other brothers, Judah, who also exhibited certain Christ-like attributes. He too is worthy of notice, and of imitation.

In a very real sense, it is splendid that King David authored so many of our psalms, for his life experience covered an incredible array of highs and lows. And so, he is well placed from his own experience to describe many, if not most, of the things that we go through. And so, there is a psalm basically for ‘every occasion’, and as many Bible commentators have suggested, they thus become an ideal tool, an ideal means, for expressing our own thoughts and emotions to God. In today’s psalm, we once again hear of many of the threats and dangers impinging upon his life, and is this not also, something of our own experience as well?