Second Sunday in Lent
Psalm 47
5 God has gone up with the sound of rejoicing:
and the Lord to the blast of the the horn.
6 O sing praises, sing praises to God:
O sing praises, sing praises to our king.
7 For God is the king of all the earth:
O praise him in a well-wrought psalm.
8 God has become the king of the nations:
he has taken his seat upon his holy throne.
9 The princes of the people are gathered together:
with the people of the God of Abraham.
10 For the mighty ones of the earth are become the servants of God:
and he is greatly exalted.
From Archdeacon Anne Ranse's reflections for Friday 2nd March 2007:
"I did an early morning walk … as the day was just breaking and at the top of the street where the rise changes from suburban houses and asphalt, to vineyards and mountains, my spirit soared. The mist was weaving its way through the gullies of the purple mountains and a fog hung low over the vineyards. The sky was tinged with pink on its horizon …The air was fresh and underfoot was a heavy dew… and in a nearby bush a noisy blue wren fussed about his family … and my soul sang…
There is a connection when we meet God in our spirit and we become one… It's a real sense of belonging, of arriving home, of being in familiar company. And it's so humbling to look out in the early morning across his creation and realise that while God holds the whole world, the whole universe, in his hand… he also holds us, each and every one and lets us know his love by the blessings he showers us with.
Looking at such a view this morning and sensing the powerful presence of God I thought of a portion of the writings of Brendan the Navigator… (A Saint… c486-575) on his works on 'A call to risky living.' and he said, '…and the angel Michael came, as if a tiny bird, to bring God's blessing and make music for his Lord.'
Never miss an opportunity to be still in the presence of the Lord, preferably before the rush of day comes and clouds the mind of such blessings. Acknowledge his presence in all things and slow down enough to see them."