Grace and peace to you from our mothering God, giving wisdom and love as we gather together as one. 

Parents have a very special role that is born of having a child together. Thanks be to God that everyone has a mother. 

We simply wouldn’t be here without having a mother. 

While this may sound like the beginning of an excellent Mother’s Day Sermon, we’ll have to wait for that, this is all about the importance of family. 

In the spirit of the gospel I have had a similar experience with mother birds. 

I may have mentioned that I enjoy trips to the Boundary Waters for recreation and renewal. 

While portaging between lakes I am constantly looking around as the expansive view while on the water disappears quickly on the portage trail. 

I am usually in the moment, being careful where I step as I usually am carrhy9ng enough to add about 50 pounds to each footstep. 

In an area dotted with sunshine the shadows of small rocks and logs give warning to pay attention. 

Having just completed a tricky section with wet rocks I was moving along at a good pace when something came darting out of the woods right at me. 

I was in a portage trance, but I quickly felt a surge of energy as my mind frantically tried to figure out how to defend myself. 

With a heavy pack on and hands full it is rather difficult to move quickly. In a split second I realized I was being attacked by a spruce grouse. Oddly it stopped just in front of me and it appeared to have a damaged wing.

Immediately I felt sorry for the grouse, not knowing what it was really doing. 

Looking at each other I took a breath and began towards the bird, it fluttered on the ground in a circle, trying to block the path. 

In an attempt to step around the bird it shot off into the nearby woods where I soon saw the reason for this protective dance. 

No more than five feet away were about three chicks that were being protected by their mother. 

By this time my partner was behind me waiting to go, yet wondering what was going on. 

We had a good laugh over the tenacity of this little bird protecting her chicks. There is a lot to learn in nature, especially a mother’s protection of her children. We are the beloved children of God. 

I am blessed with three children. 

All unique and gifted in beautiful ways. 

Watching them being born and growing into young adults has been a joy. My prayer and hope is that family is a joyful word for you. 

I wonder what would have happened had Abram and Sarai not listened to God? 

God speaks,“Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 

Without a child Abram must have felt a bit bold questioning God, what will you give me? 

In the middle of the wilderness Abram questions God?

Stepping around the one God, who would shield him and give him a great reward, but Abram didn’t feel like a citizen of the world without a child. 

Not knowing God’s plan Abram only thought about himself, until he listened to God and heard God’s plan for him. 

Little did they know that they would become part of the ancestry of all of us. 

God promised to give them a child, an heir, that looking towards the night skies would have descendants greater than all the stars in heaven. 

No longer to live in waiting, to feel the pangs of shame and guilt, to feel unworthy. 

And he, Abram, “believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.” 

The LORD promised land and delivered the LORD also promised family and delivered as through the Holy Family and our LORD Jesus. 

God came down from heaven and cut a covenant with Abram, as the image of a smoking fire pot and flaming torch passed between the halved animal offerings. 

The promise in a covenant was executed by God who passed between the offerings as a testament to honoring that deal less if God should not God would face the same as the animals. 

God promises family to Abram and Sarai, and delivers Isaac. 

The joy of having a family as children of God. 

An image of God who protects and gives abundantly is brought to earth with a scene of a mother hen gathering her brood under her wings. 

Yet we know the danger that faces young chicks, have you bought eggs lately? An enemy lurks waiting for an opportune time to steal a chick.

Our gospel from Luke puts Jesus right out there for the fox, Herod. Jesus teaches and preaches love. 

Herod selfishly wants to kill love, to kill Jesus. 

To eat all the chickens once the hen is destroyed, gruesome. 

With urgency Jesus replies matter of factly- “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today, tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work- can’t you see that I am busy with more important things? 

Have you ever felt that you just didn’t have enough time to get everything done? 

How many times have you should have said I love you, rather than saying nothing or perhaps giving criticism rather than support? 

When have you listened to others' expectations and fear froze you in an icy grip,when the warmth of a loving God was a step away? 

It’s happened to me. 

The fox is constantly on the prowl, willing to tear apart and carry away the blessing of God. 

Imagine the struggle Jesus faced, yet never giving up. 

Jesus doesn’t have enough time and the people are not willing. 

Are we willing to trust the words spoken by Paul, “Our citizenship is in heaven and it is from there that we are expecting a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Lent is our time for transformation and renewal. 

Baptism River Community Church is the place where we gather to go out with this message of love that all are welcome.

Welcome for love and to be loved, no matter what. 

Do you believe in this welcome? 

I pray that Jesus would rejoice over Finland. 

Seeing our community gather her children together like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings? 

We are called to love, as beloved children, with God’s steadfast love. Chose to rejoice and be glad that we can say, 

“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” 

Amen