Sunday 16th February 2025 – 3 before Lent

Rivers.

From a tiny source to a wide estuary; from burbling brook to a stately flow.

Constantly flowing, constantly trying to find the smoothest route to the open sea.

Along its banks plants grow, drawing on the water and nutrients. Insects live out their life cycles in and around the water. Fish, birds, and animals call rivers ‘home’.

Rivers are life-giving and energising. Jeremiah says that:

the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him … will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream (Jeremiah 17: 7-8)

The Psalmist echoes this though, saying that those whose:

… delight is in the law of the Lord … is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither (Psalm 1: 2)

We are like trees planted beside God’s life-giving, energising waters.

We are fed and nourished, and are fruitful, when we trust in God, when we put our confidence in Him, when we delight in His law.

But a tree also gives nourishment to others; birds and animals feed on the fruits and berries. A tree gives shelter; all manner of insects hide in the bark or just under the bark; birds roost and make their nests in the branches.

In the same way, as we are fed and nourished by God, we feed and nourish those around us. Not just as individuals, but as parishes and as a Benefice.

How am I, how are you, how are we, feeding and nourishing our family, friends, neighbours, communities?

Longing for food, many are hungry. Longing for water, many still thirst. Make us Your bread, broken for others, shared until all are fed.

Rev Phil