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Kept your word (5 May)

The thought this week has been written by Beth Powney, EBA Regional Minister

As I pondered before God what I should be writing this week as a thought to share, I felt very empty and blank.  So I did what seemed best to do and sat before God, saying, what should I write, what do people need to hear, what do our ministers need to hear at this time?  I sensed God say, tell them that I love them.

What then was the context for that simple three word phrase?  I began to read John 17 to remind myself how Jesus prays for his disciples, just before he is arrested and this phrase from vs 6 leapt from the page ‘ they have kept your word’. He is speaking of his disciples who the Father gave to him and Jesus says to the Father in prayer – ‘they kept your word’, they were being faithful and more than that he knows that they will continue to be faithful and keep to their promise to share his truths across the world.

And so I write to you:

When you said yes to God to follow his calling – you kept your word.

When you woke in the night to respond to the phone – you kept your word.

When you spoke on Sunday to a sea of masked faces – you kept your word.

When you read the guidelines yet again and reviewed the risk assessments – you kept your word.

When you sat in quietness and silence before God – you kept your word.

When you pleaded with all your heart for things to be different – you kept your word.

When you rejoiced with the good news and wept with the sad – you kept your word.

When you were angry and hurt, but you carried on anyway – you kept your word.

When you laughed with family and friends and played with your children, which restored your soul – you kept your word.

When you walked in the forest or by the sea marvelling at God’s creation – you kept your word.

When you turned up early at the church to check for cleaning materials – you kept your word.

When you stacked the chairs, cleared away go-pack tables – you kept your word.

When you were the first to arrive and the last to leave – you kept your word.

When you knelt, sat or raised your hands in worship – you kept your word.

When you held the people in your heart – you kept your word.

When you did all and many more of these things in the service of Jesus who calls you, loves you and holds you in his hands – you kept your word to him and he loves you.