What are you looking for? What do you want me to do for you? These are questions Jesus asked groups and individuals on many occasions as he walked among the crowds and sat at countless meal tables.

Last week I mentioned the “Father”, “Hallowed Name” and “Your Kingdom Come” trio. Jesus provides these brief statements for addressing the Creator and Sustainer of the universe – the one he calls “Abba”.

Before each day of my high school life could begin, we had to stand for the playing of “God Save the Queen” and then recite the “Lord’s Prayer”. Both practices bugged me – there was some anti-monarchist thing in my genes, and I wasn’t sure what my classmates or I actually believed of the prayer as we mumbled it.

Sitting around with a group of friends after golf, on a day retreat, over a coffee, on a Zoom call – the conversation has inevitably turned to Covid 19 and what should be done, what will the next thing be or why don’t they do…? I don’t envy the role of government and health policy leaders who actually have to make decisions and implement policies.

The pots and planters lining our back deck burst with a profusion of colours, brightening our pandemic days – until the first frost struck. Dull and wounded, the plants stare at me accusingly - “Why didn’t you put a cover over us to protect us?”