Penultimate Ramble for Kirwan Uniting Church Keeping in Touch pew sheet 24 March 2024

 Among my favourite car bumper stickers are, “Do you believe in love at first sight, or shall I drive round again?” and “If you’re reading this, where the heck’s my caravan?” There is a variant of the latter, a motorbike jacket emblazoned “If you’re reading this, where the heck’s my girlfriend?” Another, on a less frivolous note, is “If you’re reading this, thank a teacher.”

I am in awe of teachers. I couldn’t teach you how to fasten shoelaces. And since the action involves bending down, it’s getting harder to even show you nowadays. I certainly couldn’t teach you how to tie a tie. I’ve probably forgotten how to anyway, it’s been so long since I wore one. So I can’t claim some of this week’s OT passage as a personal testimony.


The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher,

that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Isaiah 50:4a.


Many of you listening to Isaiah’s words on Sunday morning are teachers, but for those who, like me, might feel left out, the verse continues:


He wakens me morning by morning,

wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. 


Teachers have one mouth. But we all have two ears and two eyes to hear and see not only formal lessons from God’s written Word, but informal and often more tailored lessons about mercies “new every morning”. I just have to put my hearing aid in as soon as I wake up!

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