Message: Blessings and Sorrows
I noticed this week in the garden that the dandelions are beginning to grow again (not sure they ever stop). I have not yet seen a yellow head dancing, but the green leaves are growing, and our guinea pigs have enjoyed their first dandelion snack of 2025.
One thing I have noted about dandelions is how deeply rooted they become. Strong deep roots that keep that plant returning to throw its sunny head up to the light and offering nectar to the bees.
I have also noticed this week while out and about the large, old well rooted trees that broke or were uprooted by the winds of Storm Eowyn a few weeks ago. Once strong trees (maybe even oak trees) blown over by the force of wind and twisted and broken by gusts of air moving.
Trees and (so called) weeds live very different existences and yet rely on their roots for survival. The roots that ground them and hold them fast when the wild winds blow or the gardener seeks to uproot them connect them to the ground, the soil for some of their nourishment. Long before our more fulsome understanding of the science of plants and root growth, the psalmist and even Jesus taught of the importance of our roots for seeing us through life’s blessings and sorrows, the challenges and the successes.
Being rooted in life, in community, in faith, reminds us of what has gone before us, who have inspired us, and how we are all connected in life.
The roots of what Jesus was teaching to the disciples connects to the understanding they would have had that we can see woven through the Hebrew scriptures about blessings and sorrows connected to the way of living. Remember the story of Job who was righteous and was also a man of many sorrows for a time before he was blessed with the restoration of all the ‘good things’ in life? And in today’s psalm about ‘happy are those who’ follow God’s teachings and woes to the wicked. The people would have known and understood the concept – do go, get good stuff.
However, there are hints in Jesus’s teachings from Luke 6 that suggests that maybe in God’s economy that is not the whole story. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for God’s kingdom is yours’ and later says ‘Woe (or sorrows) to you who are rich for you have received your consolation.’ We must be careful not to miss the rootedness of what Jesus was saying that connects to the psalm and other of Jesus’s teachings connected to the ancient prophets who called people to return to God’s ways. The rootedness of the blessings of God come not in the external blessings and sorrows but from where the blessings flow – deep roots and growing faithfulness. How we are connected to God matters. How we follow Jesus matters more than saying we follow.
Earthly blessings of prosperity may come, daily struggles and suffering may be present, but where is the consolation, the comfort sought for the journey? Do the rich look at their wealth and see their reward? Do the poor see their lack as a curse? Throughout history and even contained in our scriptures we have records of people saying someone was blessed because of the benefit of being born in a palace, while others’ lives of sorrow and struggle were down to sin and their own doing. There is some truth in our actions and efforts do lead us down certain paths toward blessings or sorrows, yet Jesus reminds us that God’s way and teaching show us that no matter the circumstances in which we find ourselves, we seek a relationship with God. Whether in joy or in sorrow, we seek to walk with God and in God’s ways.
The good news Jesus proclaimed from the Prophet Isaiah in the gathering in Galilee, the Blessings and Sorrows on the plain for all of Judea, and the teachings we hear from the ancient Psalm 1, speak to the life lived and rooted in seeking God’s ways of learning and growing day by day regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves living – blessings or sorrows. In the hardship of not enough, hunger, weeping, or being oppressed, we are loved by God and are invited to seek to follow Jesus. In the seeming highs of riches, all we could want, and fame, we are loved by God and invited to seek to follow Jesus (not the way of fame and riches alone).
In the blessings and in the sorrows, Jesus teaches us to be rooted and grounded in God’s love and teachings. What roots us so we weather the storms of life, bear fruit in the season and trust in God’s love even when the priorities of solely earthly success seek to uproot us from God’s nourishment.
As we seek to follow Jesus, learn God’s teachings and dwell (root ourselves) in God’s love, may we remember that amid the blessings and sorrows of life, God’s promise of love remains. When storms rage or the sun ripens our fruit, God calls us to follow Jesus.
Prayers from Roots resources for churches:
As crowds gathered round to hear Jesus
preach and teach and heal,
so, Lord, we gather to hear those stories and your Word afresh.
Together we gather to worship you.
Fill this place with your Holy Spirit and help us
to see more of who you really are.
Come, meet us and prepare us to do your will.
A prayer of confession
Lord Jesus Christ, you tended the sick and fed the hungry, you welcomed the outcast and loved each one.
We confess that we so often make excuses for our neglect of the hungry, we so often close our eyes to those less fortunate or different to us.
We confess we are so often fearful of losing what we have that we don’t share enough of it with those in need.
We confess our ignorance of the needs of so many and our laziness in failing to learn more ways of helping.
We seek your forgiveness and your guidance.
God knows our struggles and our turmoil, and the challenges and choices we face and take.
In his mercy, he forgives our failings and sets us free to walk the road of challenge unencumbered by past failings. Amen.
Prayers of intercession
Creator God
with so many of our rivers and streams polluted,
we pray for our world and for your living water
to refresh, heal and revive all that is dying.
For the deep roots of commitment, investment and positivity to shape our future and nurture growth.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
We pray for the political leaders of the world that their decision making would be rooted in wisdom, justice and collaboration.
We pray for the people of Israel and Palestine,
at this crucial and nerve-wracking time.
We pray for the people of Russia and Ukraine
We pray for all imprisoned for their beliefs
and for those who are killed because of them.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
We pray for all who are suffering from hunger and deprivation that our response would be rooted in empathy, generosity and action.
We pray for those places in the news and those areas where the cameras rarely go.
We remember the people of Southern Africa where drought has never been worse.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
We pray for our Church, for our leaders and our congregations that our response to the challenges of our times might be rooted in faith, courage and honesty.
We pray for all whose faith is fragile and all whose ministry is especially difficult;
for all who have given up on the Church and all who have been hurt by it.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
We pray for all who are struggling with illness and all who have been bereaved,
that they would be surrounded by support rooted in compassion, respect and love.
We remember especially those grieving the loss of a child to knife crime, those who have been bereaved suddenly and those who have watched over a loved one for many years.
Living Lord, hear our prayer
And we pray with all our hearts that the leaves of evil in the world would wither and fall
and that the trees of peace, justice and joy would grow deep roots, stand firm and bear the fruit of your kingdom in our lives and in the lives of all we love and have prayed for.
Living Lord, hear our prayer Amen
A prayer for all ages together
(wiggle toes) We pray for our roots and shoots.
Help us to know you more to help us to grow.
(wave arms gently) We pray for our leaves and branches.
Help us to reach out into our world to care and share.
(shake body) We pray for our fruit.
Help us to be like you in all we do. Amen.
A sending out prayer
Life-giving God,
keep us well rooted in you,
so we can grow and be strong
through all that happens this week.
As you encourage us,
may we encourage others to live and grow well.
Amen.
A prayer of praise and thanksgiving
Lord, we thank and praise you
for all the many blessings in our lives.
For food and shelter, for family and friends,
for the measure of health we have,
and the many comforts we take for granted.
Thank you also for your plain speaking;
these blessings are not merited by anything we have done, just as the problems of many – of those who hunger, and are homeless, and sick – are also undeserved.
So, Lord, in giving our heartfelt thanks,
we ask that we might be a blessing to those
whom the worldly-wise often curse. Amen.
© Roots for Churches Ltd (www.rootsforchurches.com) 2002-2025. Reproduced with permission.