God calls, we respond

Genesis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19; Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28; Psalm 46; Psalm 31:1-5, 19-24 Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28, (29-31); Matthew 7:21-29. The Readings this Sunday are for the Third Sunday after Pentecost or the 9th set of proper readings

The readings this week focus on God's graciousness to us and the constant call to, as it were,
'Get it right'.
St Paul reminds us, in what is a sort of backhanded comment,
that God makes no distinction between people
but is open to and accept all
Why? Because we all stand on an equal footing before God

Romans 3:22b-24 For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;
they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

What this might say to us is that however else we view our relationship with God
it is God who initiates and sustains our relationships
Thank goodness...that it does not really on me!
The Deuteronomy text for today
reminds us that God's word and life
can become part of the depth of our lives
and it is God's will that they be so
It is the deepest desire of God
Late have I loved you, Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you!

Lo, you were within,
but I outside, seeking there for you,
and upon the shapely things you have made
I rushed headlong – I, misshapen.
You were with me, but I was not with you.
They held me back far from you,
those things which would have no being,
were they not in you.
You called, shouted, broke through my deafness;
you flared, blazed, banished my blindness;
you lavished your fragrance, I gasped; and now I pant for you;
I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst;
you touched me, and I burned for your peace.

from The Confessions of St Augustine

These powerful words of St Augustine have about them a driving force
which suggest how God unremittingly searches for you and me.
It is not that God does not speak
it is that we do not hear.
It is not that God does not give to us
but that we choose to not receive
God does not hold back
we hold ourselves back.

Likewise the Gospel reminds us not to play games with God.
God's unremitting desire for us
is that we belong to God
not that God belong to us
(if you get the difference).
"Not everyone" says Jesus,
"who says and does the right thing (says Lord, Lord
will have got it right"
Word and formula do not work
if we do not take trouble to respond to what God is seeking to do in and for us.

THIS WEEK

• Where is God inviting me to be different?
• What do I believe God is trying to make of me?
• Pray for insight to change and grow
• Look for an opportunity to talk with someone else about this