24 The earth and everything on it belong to the Lord. The world and its people belong to him. 2 The Lord placed it all on the oceans and rivers.
3 Who may climb the Lord’s hill or stand in his holy temple? 4 Only those who do right for the right reasons, and don’t worship idols or tell lies under oath. 5 The Lord God, who saves them, will bless and reward them, 6 because they worship and serve the God of Jacob. 7 Open the ancient gates, so that the glorious king may come in.
8 Who is this glorious king? He is our Lord, a strong and mighty warrior.
9 Open the ancient gates, so that the glorious king may come in.
10 Who is this glorious king? He is our Lord, the All-Powerful!
This coming Sunday is All Saints Day. An opportunity to remember all Saints and Martyrs, both those well known and well-commemorated, and those who few knew about – those whose deeds are ‘known only to God’. This leads on to All Souls Day, which commemorates the faithful departed.
Both days give us an opportunity to remember those who have gone before us, guided us, given us an example and an insight into God and how to live for him.
I enjoy other peoples stories, both the famous, but even better the not famous. I love to hear what circumstances have occurred in peoples lives and how they have responded to them, how their life has led them to where they are. Others lives will have led them into places I will never go, and as such are an education. Others will have been in similar situations to me – all have something to teach us. I find other peoples stories a challenge an inspiration and a source of hope.
The stories of people of faith will also have that added dimension of sharing their experience of God – how and where they have encountered him, how that has effected their faith and how they live, what they have learned about him. As such they also give us opportunity to think, a place to be challenged and an opportunity for encouragement and hope. They can show us a much wider and deeper picture of God and living his life that we may never encounter in our own lives.
All Saints also gives me cause to pause and remember those who have been saints to me, who have shown me a different path, a bigger God, and the depth of his love. To them I am grateful and must remember to give thanks – and to seek to try and continue to pass the message along.
Story is important. Shared story builds up the bigger community.
Do I take the time to listen? Allow others the space to speak? Learn the lessons their story can add to mine? Or am I only interested in my story and how life affects me? It is much richer if we all share, learn, challenge, encourage and hope together.
6 On this mountain the Lord All-Powerful will prepare for all nations a feast of the finest foods. Choice wines and the best meats will be served. 7 Here the Lord will strip away the burial clothes that cover the nations. 8 The Lord All-Powerful will destroy the power of death and wipe away all tears. No longer will his people be insulted everywhere. The Lord has spoken!
9 At that time, people will say, “The Lord has saved us! Let’s celebrate. We waited and hoped— now our God is here.”
46 Jesus and his disciples went to Jericho. And as they were leaving, they were followed by a large crowd. A blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus son of Timaeus was sitting beside the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus from Nazareth, he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” 48 Many people told the man to stop, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, have pity on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him over!”
They called out to the blind man and said, “Don’t be afraid! Come on! He is calling for you.” 50 The man threw off his coat as he jumped up and ran to Jesus.
51 Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man answered, “Master, I want to see!”
52 Jesus told him, “You may go. Your eyes are healed because of your faith.”
Right away the man could see, and he went down the road with Jesus.
Pam's Perambulation 