Kindle in all who minister the gospel your countless gifts of grace
Unexpected coincidences often amaze me, and leave me wondering if it’s God’s timing at work. I experienced one of those moments when I was reading the Additional Collect for this Sunday, The Fifth Sunday after Trinity. I looked at it soon after being tagged for the meme in my last blog post: Meme: what has God been teaching me? I was tagged by ElShaddai Edwards, and it was his response to the meme on his blog, “He is Sufficient”, that made me sit up and take notice when taken together with this Collect, or, at least, the phrase I’ve picked out to reflect on, “Kindle in all who minister the gospel your countless gifts of grace”.
ElShaddai talks about his conscience being pricked beyond the bounds of legalism. It sounds to me as though the Holy Spirit is moving him in a positive direction. I remarked in the comments on ElShaddai’s post about how easy I can find it to slip back into legalism, almost like a comfort blanket. When, really, the love and grace of God should be fulfilling that role for us.
And that’s really where I think the phrase, “Kindle in all who minister the gospel your countless gifts of grace”, comes in. Regular readers will probably not be surprised to see me thinking about “Love” again, I do it quite a lot. Whenever I’m preaching I always try to consider whether what I’m going to say fits with a God that loves each and every one of us as though we are the only to love. And if it doesn’t, then I have to wonder if it’s the right thing to be saying. I would be pretty hopeless as a “Fire and Brimstone” Preacher.
As ministers of the gospel I don’t think it’s a bad gauge for us to be measuring ourselves against, the Love of God. And even though I know I will frequently fall woefully short, it doesn’t mean I should stop striving towards that goal. All too often, though, I find myself clutching that comfort blanket of legalism.
You can probably tell from all this, that I’m a pretty mixed-up character at times. So this Collect will be a heartfelt prayer for me — especially when I’m preaching this Sunday.
Almighty God,
send down upon your Church
the riches of your Spirit,
and kindle in all who minister the gospel
your countless gifts of grace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Additional Collect for The Fifth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council
About Paul Sibley
Andrew Gosden (now 16) has been missing from his Doncaster home since 14 September 2007. The search continues.
You are not alone in being mixed up character, crumbs you should spend a few days with me, you would soon feel very normal, hehehehehe…… LOVE, yes it is the answer and I so totally know where you are coming from on this topic. On retreat I find God shows me His love in a quiet and real way, void of all the emotion and whopping it up that in church we can endulge in, He comes in a quiet way to me and in this He is allows me to discover His love for me in such a real way. I love Him for this. To find a stronger love from God in a quiet way is much better than in a ‘pentecostal way’ at church. On a silent retreat He comes to me in such a powerful way that I have to strain to keep quiet! In silence He shouts to us! Amen!
Thanks Steve. It’s good to know I’m not the only mixed up character around.
Like you, I find silence a great help. But I have a friend who finds it completely stifling. He has experienced some quite wonderful spiritual moments in an atmosphere that I would be uncomfortable in because of its busyness and noise. I guess different people need different things — something like Myers-Briggs would probably be able to explain that.
It is simple…. for those who find noise and activity the approach that fit’s them, should foster that and enjoy all that it brings and in the same way for those who find quiet and still moments, to enter in deeper into the quietness. But both sides should engage from time to time into the ‘other’ and experience the beauty that they both bring. I also love the noise and joy and need that as part of my walk. The path I walk along with the Lord is a quiet one as He knows that is where I can come close to Him and love Him. A mix of noise and quiet is healthy for most people. So you friend should rejoice in his needs and know that we too join with him in celebration that in all things, God speaks to us….selah!
I guess it would be a strange, and rather boring, world if we were all the same — certainly if everyone was like me! Thankfully we’re not all the same, and on those occasions we need something different to normal, we can find it. God is good at providing like that!
…more blogging Paul… post more! Selah!
Funny you should say that Steve. I enjoyed the extra post last week with the “meme”, and have been thinking about what I could add, that’s achievable for me, and doesn’t detract from the focus of the blog too much. I’ve got some ideas, but that’s as far as it’s got so far.
How about more info on your Church and current levels of faith among the congregation? How about Godmanchester itself, there is history there and surely there could be some interesting facts from around the 16th century? Go on…. bet you can blog some really cool stuff! Heck, I may even bring my wife up and take you and yours out to dinner! There’s an offer you can’t refuse! I was there earlier this year drawing for a wedding not far from you!
There’s an offer I definitely wouldn’t refuse. That would be so cool!
I hadn’t thought of blogging about Godmanchester. That’s certainly something to consider. It would have to be done from a different angle to what’s on the Church website and the, very informative, town website put together by Stuart Bond. I don’t want to just repeat something that is available elsewhere, or put something on here that would be more appropriate on the Church website — seeing as how that’s my responsibility too.
I was thinking more along the lines of doing a few series’ of posts reflecting on various prayers we use on a regular basis in Church — probably starting with the obvious, “Lord’s Prayer”.
But maybe, if I can discipline myself enough to write more, I could think about doing both; neither would have to be absolutely regimented in their frequency.
Just do it…… NIKE!
I’m on to it!! Earlier, in fact, than I thought I would be.