Greetings as July creeps to a close from swampy, steamy Chuckatuck. We have been enjoying the return of normal in Chuckatuck for July – lots of heat and humidity and near-daily thunderstorms. To make things worse, we suffered the loss of one of the two 32-year-old air conditioning units last Sunday (yes, they were installed in 1991). We are thankful that half of the units still work but things were a bit steamy in church this morning. But we will survive. We pray for those who are oppressed by heat and give thanks for the visitors who have joined us these past two weeks. Blessings to all.

In worship we began with a reminder that God knows all the things we need before we ask. We are assured that God will provide what we need, even when we don’t dare to ask or can’t see to ask – God’s providence is greater than our humanity. Our New Testament lesson from Paul’s letter to the Romans highlights the human challenge between our earthly side and by the spiritual side. But we are invited to take solace knowing that we are not alone in our struggle. The Psalmist reminds us that God knows everything about us, from before we were until the end of our days. Even when we have difficulties that beset us, God is there. The gospel reading from Matthew was the parable of the wheat and weeds, a story that serves to remind us that God sows good seed and no matter where we end up or the troubles that weigh on us, God never leaves us to be overrun.

Our sermon today was based on the Hebrew Scripture lesson from Genesis. In that reading we see Jacob fleeing Esau and Jacob realizing that he is in God’s house (Bethel) and at the stairway to heaven. We hear a story of an ordinary person who does extraordinary things by God’s grace and providence.

We are invited to find the way to push on because God is with us. I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Genesis 28:10-19a; Psalm 139:1-11, 22-23; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Listen at: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-1/song/8th-sunday-after-pentecost-sermon

Video of worship: https://youtu.be/gp9jPkb2OkU

Video of sermon: https://youtu.be/Ypc1EPPNLUw