Dear Friends
[We are having problems with this website regarding the sermon down loads – hopefully it will be up and running soon].
Last week we met Jesus in Martha and Mary’s house. No sooner had Jesus taken a seat and the sisters started fighting! We would think that when Jesus visits us in our home he would restore calm, as he did to the stormy sea of Galilee, but that is not what happened. The good news however, is that Jesus still visits families that fight!
Martha’s accusing conversation is blunt with blame. It is bossy—telling Jesus to tell Mary what to do. Conversations with a blaming and bossy tone seldom make for healthy relationships because they lack respect. If we are always telling others what to do it really shows that we do not fully respect them. This includes our relationship with our children!
We also witnessed Martha speaking to Mary through Jesus and learnt that it is far more helpful to speak directly to people rather than through others which can be so manipulative. So in these coming days let us have the courage to speak to people and not about people. Let us pray for a growing respect for those who we struggle with. May we find Jesus in these relationships. Alan
Sunday 25th July 2010
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