Awake, thou that sleepest

Ephesians 5:1  Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2  and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God..........

8  For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light-- 9  for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. 10  Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11  Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12  For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; 13  but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14  for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." 15  Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, 16  making the most of the time, because the days are evil. 17  So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18  Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, 19  as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, 20  giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On Sunday 4 April 1742 John Wesley preached to the students of Christ Church, Oxford. His text was Ephesians 5:14: "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."  He preached a three point sermon, beginning with those who are asleep, calling on them to wake up, and promising that Jesus would give them light.

Wesley, preaching to a chapel filled with Church of England members, invited them to want more than just their Church baptism: Seek more, seek the Holy Spirit within you. True religion, he says, is to have the life of Christ living within you. This will lead to holy living, and happiness, and peace. If we do not have these then we fall short of true Christianity.    

So here is an invitation for us to be driven by a life of passionate faith – a life that is awake to songs, thanksgiving, and light; a life of holy living.  

Ordinary 31

53 God Can Change Lives

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 323.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

turn away from evil and do good

1Peter 3:8  Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9  Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called--that you might inherit a blessing. 10  For "Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; 11  let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. 12  For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

 It is thought that the Apostle Peter wrote this letter from the city of Rome in about 67 A.D. [1] This was the time of the outbreak of the persecution of the Roman Christians by the Emperor Nero, and the subsequent scattering of the followers of Jesus. This letter is written to "the exiles," or "the strangers in dispersion:" (1 Pet 1:1b-2a) to encourage them to remain faithful to all they have learned from Jesus. Despite their suffering they are instructed: “Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse.... repay with a blessing”;  In spite of the violence and fear  “seek peace and pursue it.” Jesus followers are to “desire life and desire to see good days”.

A passage such as this does not need me to add to it. This is inspirational.

Clearly it is also difficult – if it was easy it would not have been written down. But at the same time this resonates with our deepest longing for a life driven by the values of Jesus.

Let us live the Jesus-life to the very best of our ability, refusing to give up the values of love and justice for the grubby impulses of revenge and bitterness.    

Lord of all creation holds our lives in His hands
The God of all the nations holds our lives in His hands
The Rock of our salvation holds our lives in His hands
He cares for them just as He cares for you

So love them like Jesus, love them like Jesus
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves them and stay by their side
Love them like Jesus
Love them like Jesus

Casting Crowns “Love them like Jesus”

Ordinary 30

52 True Humility

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 317.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

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[1] Peter says he wrote it from Babylon (5:13) – a term that was commonly used by the Christians of that century to refer to Rome, 

Obey your Rulers?

Romans 13:1  Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2  Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.3  For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; 4  for it is God's servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. 5  Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. 6  For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, busy with this very thing. 7  Pay to all what is due them--taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. 8  Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9  The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.

These words must have been very hard for the Jesus-followers in Rome to hear. Paul is asking them to “be subject to the governing authorities”.  He continues by pointing out that “whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed”.  The prospect of obedience to Caesar and the Roman Empire was particularly unpleasant, because the Empire persecuted the followers of Jesus.  Paul is asking the followers of Jesus be respectful of the Emperor, even though the circumstances were extremely difficult. This is not condoning the cruelty of the Emperor, but is asking the followers of Jesus to be circumspect in their dealings with the Empire. They were to live lives of personal holiness, and so fulfil the law - but not challenge it.  This is probably because the Christians in Rome were an extremely small and vulnerable group, who would do best in setting personal examples of love.  

These words resonate through history as amongst the most abused in the Bible. Oppressive governments – such as the Apartheid government of Dr Verwoerd and PW Botha – use these words to solicit obedience to their evil laws.  It must therefore be said that while we note these words of Paul, we do not live in Rome. Neither are we a struggling minority religion. We are therefore not obliged to follow Paul’s advice to remain out of sight. We live in countries that allow Christian belief and practice, and where the Christian voice is often powerful and influential. We are challenged to find ways of living faithfully within political systems / states / empires that are often wicked and ethically irresponsible. Paul’s suggestion that followers of Jesus ought to live holy lives is a useful suggestion.

At the same time Paul adds that rulers are “God's servant for your good.“  This then becomes the obligation of those who govern – to represent the goodness of God. It therefore follows that when rulers stop being “God’s servant for your good" they forfeit the right to rule. And at this point, the followers of Jesus are to use every vote, all their political influence, all the social pressure they can muster, and the collective power of their prayers to remove rulers who refuse to serve God for the good of the people.  

Let us be good citizens – of the Kingdom of Heaven.

For thought

Tyrant thrones and idol shrines,
Let them from their place be hurled;
Enter on Thy better reign,
Wear the crown of this poor world

Empires, temples, scepters, thrones,
May they all for God be won;
And, in every human heart,
Father, let Thy kingdom come

Lyrics:   John Page Hopps 1834

Ordinary 30

52 True Humility

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 317.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

  

     

If my people.......

2Chronicles 7:11  Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king's house; all that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the LORD and in his own house he successfully accomplished. 12  Then the LORD appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: "I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13  When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14  if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15  Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16  For now I have chosen and consecrated this house so that my name may be there forever; my eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 17  As for you, if you walk before me, as your father David walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my ordinances, 18  then I will establish your royal throne, as I made covenant with your father David saying, 'You shall never lack a successor to rule over Israel.' 19  "But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 20  then I will pluck you up from the land that I have given you; and this house, which I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 21  And regarding this house, now exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished, and say, 'Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this house?' 22  Then they will say, 'Because they abandoned the LORD the God of their ancestors who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they adopted other gods, and worshipped them and served them; therefore he has brought all this calamity upon them.'"

.......if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.......

2 Chronicles 7:14 is a very well known text, mostly used to encourage people to return to the ways of God. Various countries – including South Africa – have witnessed national calls to repentance, followed by pleas for God to fulfill his promise to heal our land.

While the “lifting” of this test into our contemporary context is understandable, we need to remember that this is history. Chronicles was written after the Israelites returned from exile to explain why they were conquered. As the rebuilding of the temple was undertaken by Ezra, the question loomed large: “what must the people do to avoid a repeat of the destruction of the next temple?” The Chronicler goes back to the dedication of Solomon’s temple and records the injunction to “be humble, pray, seek God’s will, and turn from wicked ways”. Hope is found in the promise that God will forgive and heal the nation.

We who follow Jesus can learn from the history of our faith: we are called to a life of obedience to God. When we stop being obedient, our relationship with our Creator, with our fellow citizens, and even with our land is broken.  The healing of God is available. This is not divine magic that falls from heaven, but is rather a consequence of our humility and repentance. We are thus active participants in the healing of our lives – in partnership with God.    

Ordinary 30

52 True Humility

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 317.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

The Lord your God is in the house....

Zepaniah 3:1  Ah, soiled, defiled, oppressing city!

Zep 3:2  It has listened to no voice; it has accepted no correction. It has not trusted in the LORD; it has not drawn near to its God.3  The officials within it are roaring lions; its judges are evening wolves that leave nothing until the morning. 4  Its prophets are reckless, faithless persons; its priests have profaned what is sacred, they have done violence to the law.

Zep 3:8  Therefore wait for me, says the LORD, for the day when I arise as a witness. .........

Zep 3:11  On that day you shall not be put to shame because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain.12  For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly. They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD--13  the remnant of Israel; they shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. Then they will pasture and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid.

Zep 3:16  On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak. 17  The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing 18  as on a day of festival. I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it. 19  I will deal with all your oppressors at that time. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20  At that time I will bring you home, at the time when I gather you; for I will make you renowned and praised among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says the LORD.

Zephaniah, a descendant of King Hezekiah, lived in Jerusalem at the time of King Josiah. While Josiah is recorded as a God-fearing ruler, Amon his father, and grandfather Manasseh were amongst the worst kings in Judah’s history. This left Jerusalem a “soiled, defiled, oppressing city”,   with officials, judges and priests who have “done violence to the law”.  The prophet Zephaniah notes that the nation will be scattered, but the remnant left behind in Jerusalem will discover the blessing of God “and no one shall make them afraid”. He then concludes with the promise to “save the lame and gather the outcast, and ... change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth”.

We are confronted by this Godly passion for the poor, the outcast and the ‘left behind’. It is easy to ignore such people in favour of the powerful and the rich.  We have a choice: either to be with God, or to be with the “roaring lions” and the “evening wolves”.

Choose. 

He sent me to give the Good News to the poor,
Tell prisoners that they are prisoners no more,
Tell blind people that they can see,
And set the downtrodden free
And go tell everyone the news that the Kingdom of God has come, 

Ordinary 30

52 True Humility

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 317.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

No Peace for the Wicked

 Isaiah 57:14  It shall be said, "Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way." 15  For thus says the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite. 16  For I will not continually accuse, nor will I always be angry; for then the spirits would grow faint before me, even the souls that I have made. 17  Because of their wicked covetousness I was angry; I struck them, I hid and was angry; but they kept turning back to their own ways. 18  I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will lead them and repay them with comfort, creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips. 19  Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the LORD; and I will heal them. 20  But the wicked are like the tossing sea that cannot keep still; its waters toss up mire and mud. 21  There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.

The central thrust of this passage is that peace is to be found the closer we live to our Creator: “the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity... will heal them... will lead them... will repay them with comfort”.  This is not dependent on being spiritually pure, or religiously correct, or even being happy and well. This is the action of God in our lives and is called Grace.

God chooses to withdraw peace from the wicked and instead to bless the humble.  

For Thought

Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest...

Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?
On Jesus’ bosom naught but calm is found.

Peace, perfect peace, ’mid suffering’s sharpest throes?
The sympathy of Jesus breathes repose

Edward H. Bickersteth, 1875

Ordinary 30

52 True Humility

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 317.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

We do not proclaim ourselves...

2 Corinthians 4:1  Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2  We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. 3  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4  In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5  For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. 6  For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The call of Jesus can sometimes cause Christian leaders to disappoint people. This was what happened to St Paul: He had disappointed the Jesus-followers of Corinth because he altered his plans to visit them, and instead had written them a “severe” letter of reprimand.  Paul writes to them and urges them to turn the focus away from him towards Jesus: “we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus”.

The core of our Christian journey is remembering that our lives are owned by Jesus. We live for the approval of God.... even when it loses us the approval of other people.    

With God in your life you are going to rearrange
Many big things are going to change
Even though your friends and enemies might think that you are strange
It is for them that the Lamb was slain

Christafari

Ordinary 29

51 Servants of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 311.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

Boasting...

2Corinthians 11:12  And what I do I will also continue to do, in order to deny an opportunity to those who want an opportunity to be recognized as our equals in what they boast about. 13  For such boasters are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14  And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15  So it is not strange if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their end will match their deeds.

................

2Co 12:5  On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6  But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, 7  even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated.8  Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, 9  but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10  Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul writes about “boasting”. He is annoyed that there are preachers who boast about equalling his status. He suggests that the only things that they can boast about are his experiences of “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ” . Following Jesus is not the key to fame and fortune. Let those who want to follow Jesus remember that we are not rewarded with honour and wealth; instead we are invited by Jesus ‘to take up a cross’ and follow him.[1]

Talk about suffering here below
And talk about loving Jesus.
Talk about suffering here below
And let's keep a following Jesus.

 Lyrics : Greg Graffin

Ordinary 29

51 Servants of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 311.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

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[1] Mark 8:34-35

Being the light

Matthew 10:24  "A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25  it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! 26  "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27  What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28  Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29  Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30  And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31  So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32  "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33  but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. 34  "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35  For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36  and one's foes will be members of one's own household. 37  Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38  and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39  Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. 40  "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41  Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42  and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple--truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."

Christ-followers are asked to live transparently and without fear. As recorded by Matthew: "nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.   What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light”   This is the uncompromising truth that we live by. We refuse to accept bribes, or to offer service in exchange for special favours, or to use our position and status for personal benefit.

This is a personal commitment that must be sustained every day. This is also a commitment to being part of community movements such as Exposed, or Unashamedly Ethical.  Christ followers choose to live “in the light” - even if this costs us friendships and family relationships.  Our commitment is to being the light in a dark world.     

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Words: John H. Sam­mis, 1887.

Ordinary 29

51 Servants of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 311.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

  

Wise and serpents and innocent as doves...

Matthew 10:16  "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17  Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18  and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19  When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; 20  for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21  Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22  and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23  When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Followers of Jesus are to anticipate struggle, persecution, betrayal, hatred and even death. We are therefore invited to “endure to the end” - when we will be saved.  This is a far cry from some modern Christians who seem to think that following Jesus will bring blessings, appreciation, love... and financial reward.

The fact is – we all want wealth, health and happiness. And so we are tempted to sign up for a religion that promises to supply this in abundance. But this is not the way of Jesus. For this reason Jesus warns us to become “wise and serpents and innocent as doves”. This asks us to become tough, stubborn, and enduring in our capacity to follow Jesus - while at the same time uncompromising in our compassion to the weak and the forgotten people who have no way of rewarding us.

Ordinary 29A / Pentecost +19

51 Servants of Christ

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), 311.

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.

I have seen......

Exodus 3:7 The LORD said,"I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 9 And now indeed the cry of the Israelites has come to me, and I have also seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So now go, and I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."…..

…..'16"Go and bring together the elders of Israel and tell them,'The LORD, the God of your fathers, appeared to me- the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob- saying,"I have attended carefully to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I have promised a that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey."

The essential nature of God is summed up in these words: "I have surely seen the affliction... I have heard their cry... I have come down to deliver them." The Divine Creator of 'all that is, seen and unseen' takes notice! This is not just seeing creation. No - this is seeing the marginalized and the outcast.

Those who are afflicted are seen/heard by God, and a Divine response can be anticipated. Nobody is too beaten down to escape the loving protection of God. All are God's creation - and the Lord God loves them all. 

 Refrain:
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Cecil F. Alexander, pub.1848

Ordinary 28

50 

The Scripture passage for the day is drawn from Reuben Job and Norman Shawchuck, A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and other Servants, (Nashville, The Upper Room 1983), .

This reflection is from my own devotional exercises for the day.