Sermon for 6 November 2016 – Said Evensong – Psalm 40: 1 – 8; 1 Kings 3: 1 – 15; Romans 8: 31 – end
“Father, hear the prayer we offer:
Not for ease that prayer shall be,
But for strength that we may ever
Live our lives courageously.”
So began the hymn which we have just sung. In our first reading, King Solomon, early on in his reign, also makes a prayer to God: “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil” (v9). Solomon has the wisdom, and the humility to know what he doesn’t know and to ask for God’s help. The dangerous leaders are the ones who are oblivious of their own ignorance. God is so impressed that Solomon doesn’t ask for wealth or long life for himself, that he not only, and famously, gives Solomon the wisdom he asks for, but adds on “I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honour all your life; no other king shall compare with you.” (v13) And also grants him long life.
Solomon’s conversation with God seems to foreshadow Jesus’ words in Matthew Chapter 6 where he tells his hearers not to be anxious about what they will eat or wear, and says “But strive first for the kingdom of God[a] and his[b] righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6: 33)
Solomon seeks God’s kingdom first and is richly blessed for it.
Our New Testament reading is part of Paul’s wide-ranging letter to the Christians in Rome which navigates a number of the theological rocks and reefs which faced first century Christians. In this evening’s passage they are encouraged to keep going and hold on to their radical faith in Christ even in difficult circumstances. They are to do this by looking to their future. As Paul puts it, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.” (Romans 8:18) In the face of the possible prospect of hardship, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword Paul calls them to radical trust in the love of God. This is possible because we know that Christ has suffered and overcome all of the forces of evil on the Cross. He has gained the victory for us and risen from the dead proving that even death has been overcome. There is therefore then literally nothing that can separate us from the love of God.
We can perhaps think about and continue to pray for those many Christians now in Syria and Iraq who are being called on to make such radical acts of trust. Many have been and are being killed.
So, to conclude. Our first reading encourages us to put God first in our lives. To seek His kingdom and His wisdom above all. Someone I know talks about putting the big stones down first, the non-negotiables in our busy lives – because all the less important things will then fit around them. That may mean, for example, prioritising coming to church, prayer, Bible reading.
Our second reading reminds us that nothing – whether it’s active persecution on the one hand or our own self-condemnation which tells us we’re not good enough – absolutely nothing can separate us from God’s love.
So let us seek Him, and let us rejoice in His love for us.
Amen