FROM THE PASTOR
Stuck in Traffic.
Occasionally we get interstate visitors. Sometimes they catch a train or other times they get Uber, but most of the time we’re able to pick them up from the airport. And you can be sure one of the first conversation points is the traffic here in Sydney. And why wouldn’t it be? Most of our visitors come from the small town of Adelaide, AKA the 20 minute city. Yes, the 20 minute city. It only takes around 20 minutes to get from one side of town to the other, and that’s during peak hour! You’d even plan a holiday to experience this.
Stuck in traffic. Who likes it? Being cut off by impatient drivers, dogged by near misses, thoughtless lane changers, road rage and tailgaters, cyclists, motorcyclists, buses, truck and car breakdowns. Attentive and alert, sometimes you are the result of another person’s carelessness. All the other nasty’s out there. And is there be anything worse about traffic, than being stuck when you’re in a hurry?
I wonder sometimes if being stuck in traffic is a good metaphor for that part of our worship service we call “ Confession and Absolution”. Now it could mean confessing your sins because you gave someone the bird for cutting you off, or you used a word that you would not normally use when other people are around. And perhaps, being stuck in traffic may be a good metaphor for the conflict we experience in our daily lives. Stuck in a certain sin, or situation, we easily fall into the temptation of blaming others.
Then, don’t we almost on a daily basis, inflict our impatience on others? As well as our negative judgments, harsh and uncalled for criticisms, jealousies, gossip and bitter thoughts and words – at the end of the day, these are real acts of sin against God and others.
So by the time Sunday comes around, the drive to church should be fairly easy, traffic usually flows and you are refreshed and ready to hear God’s word and experience God’s grace. And when it comes to confession and absolution we come to know that we aren’t stuck in traffic, we are traffic. There’s the difference. Sometimes we can distance ourselves from the traffic by pretending not to be in it, or looking around thinking, “Isn’t it horrific today?” while at the same time failing to see that we’re in it!
So too, sometimes we can distance ourselves from our sin, and think it’s only others who are sinners, not me. When we are aware of the congestion of sin in our lives, there is a need of forgiveness; forgiveness from God is what frees our hearts and minds and releases those burdens weighing us down. The next time you are stuck in traffic, irritated and impatient, muttering angrily about why there are so many people on the road and all the other drivers being bad drivers are imbeciles; we can take a look in the rear view mirror and instead of pretend not to be in it, rather, be honest and say, “Hey. I’m in it!”.
We Pray For:
† The church and the teaching of the gospel in places like Sunday School,
Confirmation, adult classes, bible studies and preaching.
† The personal devotional life of Christians in their homes and workplaces.
† Ministry and mission in Sydney through the Lutheran Church and the wider Christian community.
† Congregations in Sydney, that we grow in a clearer understanding of the
ministry and mission that God has planned for us.
† Laws and the legal system, including the police, the prison system, and the courts.
† Young people and their enthusiasm for life, that it may not get out of control and over-excessive; first-time drivers, extreme sports, end of year parties etc
† Young people who seek to escape life’s difficulties and problems through drugs, alcohol, sex, violence, extreme cults and false religions.
Occasionally we get interstate visitors. Sometimes they catch a train or other times they get Uber, but most of the time we’re able to pick them up from the airport. And you can be sure one of the first conversation points is the traffic here in Sydney. And why wouldn’t it be? Most of our visitors come from the small town of Adelaide, AKA the 20 minute city. Yes, the 20 minute city. It only takes around 20 minutes to get from one side of town to the other, and that’s during peak hour! You’d even plan a holiday to experience this.
Stuck in traffic. Who likes it? Being cut off by impatient drivers, dogged by near misses, thoughtless lane changers, road rage and tailgaters, cyclists, motorcyclists, buses, truck and car breakdowns. Attentive and alert, sometimes you are the result of another person’s carelessness. All the other nasty’s out there. And is there be anything worse about traffic, than being stuck when you’re in a hurry?
I wonder sometimes if being stuck in traffic is a good metaphor for that part of our worship service we call “ Confession and Absolution”. Now it could mean confessing your sins because you gave someone the bird for cutting you off, or you used a word that you would not normally use when other people are around. And perhaps, being stuck in traffic may be a good metaphor for the conflict we experience in our daily lives. Stuck in a certain sin, or situation, we easily fall into the temptation of blaming others.
Then, don’t we almost on a daily basis, inflict our impatience on others? As well as our negative judgments, harsh and uncalled for criticisms, jealousies, gossip and bitter thoughts and words – at the end of the day, these are real acts of sin against God and others.
So by the time Sunday comes around, the drive to church should be fairly easy, traffic usually flows and you are refreshed and ready to hear God’s word and experience God’s grace. And when it comes to confession and absolution we come to know that we aren’t stuck in traffic, we are traffic. There’s the difference. Sometimes we can distance ourselves from the traffic by pretending not to be in it, or looking around thinking, “Isn’t it horrific today?” while at the same time failing to see that we’re in it!
So too, sometimes we can distance ourselves from our sin, and think it’s only others who are sinners, not me. When we are aware of the congestion of sin in our lives, there is a need of forgiveness; forgiveness from God is what frees our hearts and minds and releases those burdens weighing us down. The next time you are stuck in traffic, irritated and impatient, muttering angrily about why there are so many people on the road and all the other drivers being bad drivers are imbeciles; we can take a look in the rear view mirror and instead of pretend not to be in it, rather, be honest and say, “Hey. I’m in it!”.
We Pray For:
† The church and the teaching of the gospel in places like Sunday School,
Confirmation, adult classes, bible studies and preaching.
† The personal devotional life of Christians in their homes and workplaces.
† Ministry and mission in Sydney through the Lutheran Church and the wider Christian community.
† Congregations in Sydney, that we grow in a clearer understanding of the
ministry and mission that God has planned for us.
† Laws and the legal system, including the police, the prison system, and the courts.
† Young people and their enthusiasm for life, that it may not get out of control and over-excessive; first-time drivers, extreme sports, end of year parties etc
† Young people who seek to escape life’s difficulties and problems through drugs, alcohol, sex, violence, extreme cults and false religions.