Salvation - Like Sinking in the Mud

I went to St. John’s Church this morning (8 am Eucharist) which was taken by the curate, Andrew who spoke about the Sabbath and that resting on Sundays means doing things that you like to do – to take time out – not necessarily doing nothing.  Sara and Mary went to St. Paul’s in Salisbury this morning (Mary really enjoying it especially as the children are encouraged to join in and the worship songs were ones she knew from Spring Harvest).  I spent the morning working on the Evensong service which I am taking at Whaddon this evening.  Lunch today was BBQ chicken which I cooked on the BBQ outside – it being another warm summer’s day.  I wasn’t preaching at Whaddon this evening – just leading – and I had chosen four well known hymns and wrote the intercessions.  The reading were all quite long and the Roman Catholic Deacon preached (as well as playing the piano which certainly enlivened the worship).  A nice service – even if I say so myself – and I came away feeling quite uplifted – especially by the Deacon’s wonderful sermon in which he described salvation as being like Jesus jumping into quicksand to save a sinking man and going under the mud and dying as a result in order to push the sinking man from a certain death.  He likened the crucifixion to this.  A really strong illustration which I have written down in my journal and may use myself on a future occasion.  Back home, Richard had called and I joined him at 9 p.m. at an unusually full Lion’s Head. Apparently the cricket team were in and they had sent out for a Chinese takeaway.  Richard and I were given some prawn crackers and spring rolls as we drank our beer on a separate table.  I felt quite uplifted today – thanks a great deal to John’s sermon – and shall sleep well tonight.