Unpredictable - God's at work

Just looked at the readings set for this Sunday, the 2nd after Pentecost.
The Old Testament has Samuel directed by God to replace Saul as king. Each of Jesse's boys is presented, but it's the shepherd boy, David, that Samuel is told to anoint.
And he wasn't even considered a likely starter by his family!
The gospel, from Mark 4, talks of seed growing secretly, and the unimpressive mustard tree (bush?). That's what God's kingdom looks like, says Jesus.
Meanwhile, so many of us want the church to look more like McDonalds or KFC.
I don't think so!

Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5, expands on the same point, and includes one of my favourite lines: 'we live by faith, not by what we see' (v.7). Also 'anyone who is in Christ is a new person'. It doesn't mean we're going to be better, stronger, brighter — just new!
As the Guru says on the Coodabeens 'Think about that!'

I think I see the point more readily than many, but still I want success, bigness, strength.
Like everybody else, I need my eyes directed towards the unimpressive looking Saviour, especially when he's stretched out on the cross. There's always more than meets the eye.

Teach me your way, how to walk beside you faithfully.
Make me single-hearted, single-hearted,
devoted to you, devoted to you.
(Ps 86:11, quoted in 'Teach me your way' R Mann 1993)

All Together Here!

No, not the name of the 6th All Together book (coming, by the way, but no scheduled release date) .
But, as the blog of May 2 said, the double tapes that contained all the music of the first 3 All Together books have been transferred onto CD. Not new recordings but a medium that's easier to use, especially in classrooms, friendship groups and smaller churches.
The price for these has been reduced from the expected $60 per set. It'll still be $20 per CD if you only want one. But a set of 3 will be $50 and you'll only pay $119 for all 9 CDs.
So far it's only had a short note in the LCA's President's mailing, but it'll soon be advertised in a few other places. Even so, I've been surprised at the level of interest.