You may not be able to make it out, but the Pennine Way runs just below the top of this valley-side. I’ve sometimes walked along it, and looked down on those rocky lumps on the steep slope, and experienced a small amount of fear…. as a consequence of which I’ve carefully avoided falling off. Fear has its uses.
And so both the New Testament readings in Sunday’s lectionary carry an element of threat. How can a loving God allow us to read such stuff? But a loving God also doesn’t want us beloved children to be complacent and get ourselves into trouble as a consequence.
Complacency can be dangerous. How many people thought that NATO had no purpose any more once Russia was no longer communist? But socialism wasn’t the problem.
Tranquil morning here, anyway…