Friday 1 March 2024

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Today is Friday the 1st of March, the feast of St David, in the second week of Lent.

Eliza King sings, ‘My Help Comes’. Where might you need the help of the Lord today?

I lift my eyes up to the hills

Up to the highest mountain

Is this where heaven meets the earth

Where I might find your presence?

Where does my help come from?

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

My help comes from the Lord

The one who watches never sleeps

Nor does He wane or tire

Both night and day my life He keeps

My shade, He is my shelter

Where does my help come from?

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

Maker of the earth and heavens

My help comes from the Lord

Seated high, high above them

My help comes from the Lord

Maker of the earth and heavens

My help comes from the Lord

My coming and going

My sleeping and rising

The Lord watches over

Now and forever

My coming and going

My sleeping and rising

The Lord watches over

Now and forever

The Lord watches over

Now and forever

Today's reading is from the Book of Genesis.

Gen 37: 3-4,12-13,17-28

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’ The man said, ‘They have gone away, for I heard them say, “Let us go to Dothan.” So, Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.’ But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, ‘Let us not take his life.’ Reuben said to them, ‘Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him’—that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

Today we hear the beginning of the story of Joseph, and without listening to the end, we are left only with the discomfort of the harsh actions born out of the envy and hatred his brothers have towards him. What stood out to you in this story?

Can you identify with this sibling rivalry? Or perhaps you’ve experienced these feelings in other relationships such as friendships, or with colleagues. What was that like?

As you listen to the second part of the reading, try to imagine what it was like for Joseph.

Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.’ And his brothers agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

And they took Joseph to Egypt. If we were to read further, Joseph has a long journey ahead which ends with reconciliation, but for now, we might call to mind any strained or broken relationships that are, as yet, unreconciled.

Pray for these now and perhaps remember them for the rest of the day.

You have given all to me

To you Lord, I return it

Everything is yours, do with it what you will

Give me only your love and your grace

That is enough for me

Amen.