Lent Meditations

Tuesday March 7th. Genesis 12 : 1-3
Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed".
As I get older, all in me craves certainty; in contrast, Abram is told 'Go' and he will then discover God's purposes in the going. Over the years I shudder how many times I have preached that too glibly; moving can be very difficult!
Two years ago I moved into my current role after over 15 years as a Methodist minister within the circuit system. The move meant a change in status and loss of a home (without a clear idea of where and how we would live); with school age children, that was not easy. Looking back, although that was-and is- sometimes scary, I can see many 'God incidences' that only happened as risks were taken. I would have blanched at most of them if I had known in advance what they would have been!
If I have learned anything, it is that we discover little of the purposes of God without taking risks. Except I don't say that lightly anymore...
Living Lord, help me to rediscover Lent as a journey that involves risk. As I do, help me to know that you are already there ahead of me.

Graham Peacock : (Methodist minister and chaplain in the Yorkshire area for 'Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust'- your local mental health Trust)