Where have you seen God this morning?  Where have you realised that God was working in your life, or the lives of those around you: this week, this year?  And in what ways has this understanding of God, in the midst of life, in the midst of your life, affected you, affected the way you live?

Today, we celebrate our Parish’s Patron Saint, St Luke.

As we look at his life with God, and his words about God, it will be beneficial for each of us to reflect on our own life – what we believe about God, and how we live out our God-given life here on earth, here in the suburbs, the street, in the home in which each of us lives.  Perhaps, (in other words) how does being a card carrying, ‘signed’ with that at baptism – our very life as a Christian, a follower of Jesus, affect our daily life?

St Luke writes to Theophilus – or better pronounced: Theo-philus – which means ‘Theo’: God and ‘Philus’: lover – and so he writes to one who was ‘dear to God’, or ‘lover of God’.

Probably a real person – even of high official rank – but also, more generally, (as recorded in the ‘Book of Acts’), St Luke writes to non-Jews, Gentiles, and so he writes to us –

He wrote about firm, historic facts – what actually in Jesus’ life and ministry, always with the underlying question: so what?  so what about your life, your ministry? / so what do you actually believe about Jesus, his life from his birth to his ascension? – what aspects of Jesus’s life, actions and teaching do we believe, do we apply to our daily living?  Where have you seen, in your life, a change, a Holy growth, because of your ‘Theophilus’ – your love of God, you: loved by God? – How, in what way do you allow him to impinge on the way you live?

In his writing, St Luke, where possible, gives indications of time and place – he makes the story come alive.

Is it old age: but more and more, I am remember things ‘back in the day’ – back in some place, on some day – and reflecting on them, see God’s hand on it – see the outcome, as  God works his purpose out, as day moves on to tomorrow / even, or especially, in hard times, seeing God’s will and want, coming to a much better fruition, than I could wished for, or imagined.

But not all the detail is needed to be trawled through – nor should it.

Although St Luke does write an historically – scientific work (he was a doctor!), it is not a biography in the usual sense, not all the data of Jesus’ life was recorded.

Back in the day, there were no computers, nor ‘clouds’, to store all the information – nor cameras in phones.  St Luke writes on a note of parchment.  It is believed that the length of the roll required by Luke for his gospel was about 10 meters (or 30 feet) in length.

How many rolls of parchment would our life’s history require?  What stand out times, what important acts, what God-guided events should we record, in our “Dear Theophilus” parchment?  On reflection, there ARE many – it’s rather fun, or most reassuring, to note them – and give thanks to God for them; for this is at the core of ‘worship’, this is what is eternal.

And of course, it’s not only where have I, where have you, seen God at work today?  Jesus did no miracle, big or small without his desire for the other to grow more deeply into God – Jesus was not a magician, did not just fix things or make life better – his actions were always to call people to see God working, and to call people to God.

So, now, the question also becomes, where do others see God working in your life?

St Luke wrote with the object of convincing, converting, saving, and spiritually edifying his readers (now there’s a challenge for us, as others ‘read’ our life).

He writes as a testimony of one who has experienced redemption from God (like us!) and now whose faith, obedience, love and worship is paramount in his love.

So, back to that first question – where have you seen God, working in your life, to encourage your faith, obedience, love and worship?…

… the presence of the Good Shepherd, our Saviour, our Lord: Jesus Christ.

… the presence of the accepting and affirming love of God: the Father Almighty, our Creator.

… the presence of the life-giving force of God, the Holy Spirit.

… the presence of God, twenty-four seven, working for us, in us, and through us, for those around us.

Amen.