Carry Each Other's Burdens - by Rev Jonathan Gale

Carry Each Other's Burdens
by Rev. Jonathan Gale
Sunday 27^th February 2011
5.00pm – St Augustine’s (Devonport)

Psalm 131

A song of ascents. Of David.

¹ My heart is not proud, LORD,
   my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
   or things too wonderful for me.
² But I have calmed and quieted myself,
   I am like a weaned child with its mother;
   like a weaned child I am content.

³ Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore.

After a disaster one experiences a number of emotions and states of mind, especially a disaster as major as Tuesday’s earthquake in Christchurch.

This was no minor quake like the one we read of in the Acts of the Apostles that broke open the gates of the prison in Philippi as Paul and Silas sang hymns to God.

This earthquake has really hurt. Far from freeing people, it has caused great pain. People have lost homes, businesses, their lives, the lives of loved ones, and in many instances, hope.

Any large natural disaster is a humbling experience and makes us realise just how small and vulnerable we are. The Psalm for today – Psalm 131 - could well reflect a post-traumatic state of humility and numbness leading to a realisation of God’s presence.

¹ My heart is not proud, LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.

HUMILITY – the last thing most people in Christchurch will be now, is arrogant.

² But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.

NUMBNESS - Any child who is suddenly refused the nourishment and comfort of its mother’s breast is traumatised. But the newly traumatised child does not leave. It stays in numb juxtaposition to its mother where it realises the growth of a new kind of relationship – a relationship that holds hope for a more meaningful life.

³ Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore.

HOPE IN GOD- In this service we will spend some time praying for Christchurch. It is for this realisation of hope for the residents of Christchurch that we need to pray.

The Bridge by Joy Cowley

There are times in life

when we are called to be bridges,

not a great monument spanning distance

and carrying loads of heavy traffic,

but a simple bridge to help one person from here to there over

some difficulty

such as pain, grief, fear, loneliness

a bridge which opens the way

for ongoing journey.

When I become a bridge for another,

I bring upon myself a blessing,

for I escape from the small prison of self

and exist for a wider world,

breaking out to be a larger being

who can enter another’s pain

and rejoice in another’s triumph.

I know of only one greater blessing

in this life, and that is,

to allow someone else

to be a bridge for me.

A bridge transports someone from where they are, to where they need to be. How can we be bridges for the people of Christchurch?

We can:

· Pray for those in need

· Provide support in any number of ways

· Make a financial contribution

· Pray for those who are bridges

· Pray for those who need bridges

For those of you who’ve come for personal ministry (for healing), we’ve come to be bridges for you.

Perhaps some of you are stressed by having been bridges for very heavy loads for too long.

Perhaps some of you need to be bridges for others. God may be speaking to you about that right now.

Our sentence for today’s meeting is from Galatians 6:2

² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

God never turns anyone away. The Scriptures encourage us to pray for one another if we have needs.

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