PASTORAL MESSAGE
Pastoral Message for August
from Steve Judd (Trinity Church Elder)
Harvest time is approaching, and with modern farming methods it is common to be taking in the harvest during August, rather than the September or even early October that many churches have their Harvest Festivals.
My favourite Harvest hymn is the one I call “Golden Sheaves”, but whose first line is “To thee, O Lord, our hearts we raise”. At this time of year, a trip over the rich farmland of the chalk Downs shows “Bright robes of gold the fields adorn, the hills with joy are ringing. The valleys stand so thick with corn that even they are singing”.
But the title of that hymn comes from the third verse, which asks that we may be accepted as Christ’s “golden sheaves” for evermore. For in the Bible, reaping is an image of judgement or gathering into the Kingdom, as well as an image of harvest.
And this is something that worries many people. Am I really good enough? Have I done enough in my life? Will I really go to heaven, or will I be left behind?
Now, I can’t deny that there is a parable of judgement in the Gospels where the people are separated into those who have helped those around them, and those who haven’t. But if you read ALL the Bible and don’t just select bits, you will find the main focus is on what you believe, and as far as living is concerned, it is how you love God and other people rather than whether you have followed “the rules”.
The first thing that our Lord asks of us is that we believe in him. That we believe that he came down to save us. That he loves us enough to have died for us. And that his saving power is so great that he rose from death and so all we who believe and follow him may do as well.
All the rest, how we live, the depth and strength of our love for others, comes in response to this - that we believe and trust in Jesus. And there is the promise of the Spirit to help us live this way.
Jesus has promised that “house of many rooms” (John 14:2) for all who love and serve him. We who love him are his “Golden Sheaves” for evermore.
Steve Judd
The URC has a tradition of shared leadership between the Minister and the Church Elders. So the monthly messages will sometimes come from our URC Associate Minister, Wendy, and sometimes from an Elder.