Hope for today #5


 

Jeremiah 11:7
‘From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again, saying, “Obey me.”’

 
Yesterday we left the Exodus people as they were about to enter the Promised Land with the choice of obedience or disobedience with its subsequent blessing or curse. Today, we find ourselves years later, about 530 years, with Jeremiah referring back to that moment. Sadly, it seems that God’s people chose disobedience and curse, despite King Josiah’s reforms (2 Chronicles 34), and judgement is coming.

Reflection
In our own ‘today’ what blinds us to God’s grace to us and God’s pleadings for faithfulness?

QUOTE FOR TODAY
In a postmodern world, where everything is reduced to the moment and being present in it, the church can offer the wonder of being part of a drama already in progress. More than that, it is a drama with a good beginning – a good God who made a good world.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 197-198)
 

Hope for today #4


 

Deuteronomy 11:26-28
‘See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.’

 
As with yesterday’s devotion we are in the world of the Exodus and the next footsteps will touch the Promised Land. But before God’s people is a decision, the consequence of which will result in either a blessing or a curse. It is worth noting that the word ‘known’ here suggests an intimate knowledge of someone rather than an intellectual awareness. Other gods do not know God’s people like God does, so the choice should be easy, yes?

Reflection
Our ‘today’ choices will have future consequences.

QUOTE FOR TODAY
All day long we are confronted with news of evil, we are hemmed in on all sides by the word of despair. Yet when the Christian comes to worship, she hears a different word. She enters a community that orients her toward a different future.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 3)
 

Hope for today #3


 

Hebrews 3:13
‘Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘today’, so that none of you may be hardened by sins deceitfulness.’

 
Surrounding these verses is the journey of God’s people ‘in the Old Testament from Egypt to Canaan. They were moving toward promised rest, and in the same way we are moving toward promised rest when we will see Christ and be made like him.’ (Sam Perry) As the Exodus people struggled to keep faith, so the early church, and today’s church. Part of the solution is to trust in God and to encourage each other daily in our Christian walk.

Reflection
Today take a moment to pray for someone who needs encouragement.

QUOTE FOR TODAY
Discipleship is … a faithful waiting for the imminent return of Christ.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 127)
 

Hope for today #2

 

Psalm 118:24
‘Let us rejoice today and be glad.’

 
Psalm 118 is quoted quite a bit in the New Testament and one of these times is Palm Sunday when Jesus rides triumphantly into Jerusalem (Ps. 118:25-26). People on the road recognised that the King, and his Kingdom, they hoped and longed for had arrived as Jesus entered Jerusalem. So ‘today’ was a day to rejoice and be glad.

Reflection
Today reflect on a word or deed of Jesus that stirs your heart to praise.

QUOTE FOR TODAY
Christians sing because we are people of hope.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 2)
 

Hope for today #1


 
Welcome to the first of our Advent ‘Hope for today’ devotions, a collaboration between Rev Irene Bom and Rev Graham Austin, with visuals by Irma Gevers.

 

Matthew 6:11
‘Give us today our daily bread.’

 
These familiar words from the Lord’s Prayer remind us that we need to turn to God to sustain our lives. Regardless of whether this bread is to be taken literally or spiritually, in either case it is an on-the-day-every-day need that we are to pray for. Note these two things, this bread is a gift of God but also it is given for the community, ‘our’ bread.

Reflection
What ‘bread’ do you require today?

QUOTE FOR TODAY
In the future, it is the presence of God that will renew all things.

(Glenn Packiam, Worship and the World to Come, p. 181)
 

A taste of autumn


 

A generous harvest

inspired by 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

God, source of all life,
the northern autumn is all around us now, beautiful
in scarlet and gold.
We have heard the Spirit of God in the rustling
leaves and the rush of water,
and we are so grateful for a generous harvest,
for seeds of many kinds, sown and multiplied,
for the sufficiency we enjoy.

Sung (Taizé):
Bless the Lord, my soul
and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul,
who leads us into life.

Creator God,
we are so grateful for the creation which nourishes
and sustains all that lives.
Renew in us the sense of its value
that we may not squander its riches,
or so bend it to our will that we find we have
destroyed it.

Bless the Lord …

Transforming God,
we cannot sow our seed with clenched fists.
Help us to open our hands, to let go of grasping,
that we too may scatter with hope and generosity
our seeds of justice, peace and joy.
So may the fruits of our harvest
be for the sharing of the earth
and the blessing of your love.
Amen

 
— written by Peggy M De Cuehlo, posted on re:worship

COMING VERY SOON

“Hope for today: Daily reflections for Advent”
A collaboration between Irene, Rev. Graham Austin and Irma Gevers of Scots International Church Rotterdam, with daily posts from 1 to 24 December.
 

Thank you. For taste buds

 
In Hidden Art, Edith Schaeffer writes,

“God could have created all food as a bland mixture of proper nutrients: something like wheat-germ, yoghurt and honey in a cake form, or some sort of fruit that would have contained everything necessary to good health. However pleasant the mild flavour might be, we cannot imagine eating just one single flavour all the time, the reason being that we have been created with taste buds, a delicate sense of smell, and a sensitive appreciation of and response to texture and colour.”  (p. 114-115)
 

Invitation to the Banquet

based on Psalm 23 and Matthew 22:1-14

Gracious God,
in love You open wide the doors
and welcome us into Your presence —
saints and sinners alike.
You spread a table before us,
filled with the richest fare —
a feast of love and mercy
for the body and soul.

We come with joy to meet You here,
to eat and drink at Your table,
to taste and see Your goodness,
to celebrate Your grace and mercy in our lives.

May Your Spirit inspire our praise and thanksgiving,
our prayers and petitions
as we worship together in Your presence.

In the name of Jesus Christ, our host and Lord, Amen.

from re:worship

From the blog
A new nature
Winter = long nights
In the school of prayer with St Francis of Assisi
 

Taste the goodness

 

Litany

based on Psalm 34:1-10

Living Rock of Abundant Life,
the poor cried out;
you heard, and saved them from all their troubles.

To those who have nothing,
your promise is this:
whatever is needed will be given.

Your eyes are on those who do justice,
and your ears are open to their voice.

To those who yearn for peace,
your promise is this:
whatever is needed will be given.

Your arms enfold the brokenhearted,
and rescue those whose spirits are crushed.

To those who fear the future,
your promise is this:
whatever is needed will be given.

ALL:
O taste and see how good God is!
Happy are those who take refuge in the Living Rock.

 
— from Stone Soup, a liturgy on the Seekers Church website.

COMING SOON

“Hope for today: Daily reflections for Advent”
A collaboration between Irene, Rev. Graham Austin and Irma Gevers of Scots International Church Rotterdam, with daily posts from 1 to 24 December.
 

A taste for beauty


Powerpoint and natural light  (Photo: Irene Bom)

Prayer of Thanksgiving

O God,
We thank you for this earth, our home;
for the wide sky and the blessed sun,
for the ocean and streams,
for the towering hills and the whispering wind,
for the trees and green grass.

We thank you for our senses
by which we hear the songs of birds,
and see the splendour of fields of golden wheat,
and taste autumn’s fruit,
rejoice in the feel of snow,
and smell the breath of spring flowers.

Grant us a heart opened wide to all this beauty;
and save us from being so blind
that we pass unseeing
when even the common thorn bush
is aflame with your glory.

For each new dawn is filled with infinite possibilities
for new beginnings and new discoveries.
Life is constantly changing and renewing itself.

In this new day of new beginnings with God,
all things are possible.
We are restored and renewed in a joyous awakening
to the wonder that our lives are and, yet, can be.
Amen.

 
~ written by Walter Rauschenbusch (1861-1918),
posted on re:worship
 

From the blog
Theme: Spurred on by prayer  [prayer sheet]
Prayer poem: Sweet words
Grace notes
 

3 Prayers for a fruitful life

 

The Holy Spirit produces a different kind of fruit: unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You won’t find any law opposed to fruit like this.

Gal 5:22-23

 
 

Let us pray for fruit like this in our lives …

#1 | inspired by Isaiah 5:1-7

Let us pray the Lord to keep surrounding us
with his care, till we bear rich fruit.

Pause

Lord God, our Father,
you ask of us today:
“My people, answer me:
What more could I have done for you?”

Teach and help us to respond with our whole being
to your daily forgiveness and patience,
to the riches of life brought us by Jesus,
to the prompting of the Holy Spirit,
that we may be a people that bears lasting fruits.
May we bring to all a justice animated by love,
may we learn to share as you do with us.
Show us your mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
 
~ from Liturgy Alive
 

#2 | inspired by John 12:20-33

God of thundering glory and wondrous love,
you lifted up Jesus Christ from the earth
to draw all people to your holy name.
Like grains of wheat that fall to the dust,
teach us to die — and so to bear much fruit,
giving our lives for the sake of the gospel,
following and serving Christ Jesus forever.
 
— from the Presbyterian Church USA website,
posted on re:Worship
 

#3 | inspired by Colossians 1:10-14

Gracious God,
Give us spiritual insight and understanding,
so that we would be able to see things from your point of view.

May our words and actions bring credit to Your name
and joy to Your heart;
may all that we do bear fruit for Your kingdom,
and may we come to know and love You more each day.

Strengthen us with Your power
so that we would be able to joyfully endure whatever comes our way,
and give thanks to You even in the midst of pain and suffering.

Thank You for rescuing us from the power of darkness,
and bringing us into the glorious light of Your kingdom.

All praise to Jesus Christ, our Lord,
in whom we have found redemption and forgiveness.
Amen.
 
~ posted on re:Worship
 

From the blog
Check out the Index for more posts in the 3 Prayers series.