Wednesday - What gifts has God given to you?

Prayer:   Help us O God to live in Your way and to listen in the quiet for Your voice.   Amen.

Read St. Luke 19: 16 - 27

The Parable of the Ruler continues with a discussion of which servant made the gift of money work for his master…. And which servant kept the gift of money hidden and did nothing.

God has given each of us gifts.    What gifts has God given to you?    Do you use the gifts God has given to you to bring the love of Christ into the community?  Or do you keep the gifts God has given to you hidden away?

The amazing thing is the gifts God has given to each of us always lead to action.  For instance,  if we have the gift of hospitality,  we help feed others or greet others so they feel welcomed.   In First Presbyterian Church Winnipeg,  there is a gentleman by the name of Tom Denton.    Tom has volunteered for years welcoming new immigrants to Canada.   What a gift for the community!    Knox Presbyterian Church Winnipegosis does not have a minister but they have opened up a suite in the Church for ministers and families to come for a rest and preach on a Sunday.  What a gift for the community and for ministry families who find trying to find the finances for a holiday prohibitive!   

Prayer:  For all the gifts that You have given to us O LORD,  may we be truly thankful.    Inspire us today to use these gifts so that our communities may be made whole in Your love.  Amen.

Tuesday - building up the Kingdom of God

Prayer:   Spirit of Christ,  have mercy upon us.  Help us to remember that we are the Kingdom of God within our homes and within our community and within our Church.    Use us this day to be the example of what it means to follow You.  Amen.

Read St. Luke 19: 11 – 15

This portion of scripture is the  Parable of the ten Minas.   A mina was about thee months’ wages.       Jesus and the disciples are nearing Jerusalem and the people thought that the Kingdom of God was on hand.     Jesus tells them the Parable of the Ten Minas.

A man of noble birth goes to a foreign land and tries to appoint himself king.  The peoples of the land do not want him to be king.   Before the man goes to the foreign land,  he gives ten of his servants ten minas each.  He instructs them to put the monies to work.  

Huh?  What an odd parable.  What was Jesus trying to tell the people?   Some Scholars suggest that this was an illustration to the life of Jesus.   He is here now but will be crucified and leave the workers in charge of building the Kingdom of God.  Then when Jesus returns,  the workers will have to make an account of how they did building the Kingdom of God.

How well has our denomination  built up the Kingdom of God?    Working in a Military Museum,   I am always surprised by the number of Militia who were Presbyterian and did great things on and off the battle fields from the war of South Africa to WW1 and WW2 and beyond.      Many of our Presbyterians won decorations and awards for their leadership and their sacrifice.   Yet what about today?   Who would we hold up today as an example of a follower of Christ within the Presbyterian Church in Canada who is also an example of leadership and sacrifice within our community?    Have we ended up forgetting about our communities and instead whine and complain about how the Church is lacking in funds?     When we no longer involve ourselves within the community,   we keep the light of Christ hidden and dull.   

Today meditate how the Church can once again be involved within the community so that the light of Christ shines within the community.

Prayer:  Divine Healer,   use us to bring Your light and healing and strength and wisdom into Your world.   Kindle within us the light of Your love so that with great joy and enthusiasm,  we bring Your love into our community.   Amen.

Monday - a story of forgiveness and compassion

Prayer:  God, Creator and Savior, source of peace for the entire world: be our life today.  O Christ, you call us to share with others: unite us in your love. O Christ, our Shepherd, you come to seek those who are lost, you visit the lonely and the abandoned: give them new hope. Comforting Spirit, you place in us hope and joy: fill us with your love. Comforting Spirit, you awaken in us a love that forgives: come to us, Holy Spirit.  (Taize  Prayer for each Day.  www.taize.fr/en_article5806.html)

Read St. Luke 19: 1 – 10

Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector.   What a great story of forgiveness and redemption.     Here is a man who was despised by his own peoples for being a tax collector.   Yet,  when he heard Jesus was coming,  he ran ahead of the crowd and climbed a tree so that he could see Jesus.       Jesus looked up at Zacchaeus and said, “I  must stay at your home today”.   Wow!     The crowd is horrified.  Jesus has said he is going to the home of a sinner.   Gasp!     Yet,  by Jesus reaching out to Zacchaeus,      Zacchaeus’ heart is changed.   Zacchaeus said that here and now he gives away half of his possessions to the poor and will pay back four times the amount of anyone he cheated.

This story of Zacchaeus is in direct contrast to the Rich Ruler.    The Rich Ruler could not give away his possessions and could not follow Jesus.    Zacchaeus  gave away his possessions and paid back four times the amount of anyone he cheated.  Zacchaeus followed Jesus.    All because Jesus showed compassion and love to Zacchaeus.

Today meditate and ask yourself how your community could change if the Church showed compassion and love within the community.

Prayer:  Lord Christ, enable us to turn to you at every moment. So often we forget that your Holy Spirit dwells in us, that you pray in us, that you love in us. Your miracle in us is your trust, and your constant forgiveness.  (Taize Prayer for Each day.  www.taize.fr/en_article5806.html)

Sunday - Prayer

Prayer:  Prepare our hearts for worship this day O LORD.   Prepare our minds for worship this day O LORD.    May the Words of those who preach today be acceptable in Your sight.  We rejoice that we can worship You today with all Your peoples.   Holy God,  Holy Mighty,  Holy Immortal One  grant us peace in believing and joy in sharing Your Word with the world.   This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Saturday

Prayer:  Omnipotent God,  You know all things and are eternal.   You know us better than we know ourselves.    May we always rejoice in Your plans and love.  Amen.

 

Question #7 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism

Question:  What are the decrees of God?

Answer:  The decrees of God are, His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will,  whereby, for His own glory, He has  foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.

 

Psalm 119: 12

Psalm 33: 11

Isaiah 14: 24

Ephesians 1: 11 – 12

 

Decrees.   Rules.  Regulations.    Because I said so.     As leaders or teachers or parents,   we explain the rules…. we provide boundaries…. we say there are consequences to our actions.    Yet frequently,  we blow it.     We disregard the rules and then we kick ourselves because we knew better!

 

In this question,   the decrees of God are more than rules and regulations and “because I said so”’s.   The decrees of God are God’s plan for all of creation.  Eternal plans.    God knows us better than we know ourselves.  God already knows what our potential is better than we know ourselves.     Hallelujah!

 

Prayer:  Eternal God,  You are sovereign over all things and all events and all plans.  In Your love and mercy,  we are part of Your plan.  For this we give You our thanks.  Amen.

Friday - Jesus said, "What do you want me to do for you?"

Friday June 14

Prayer:    Jesus,  Son of God,  have mercy upon us.   Jesus,  Son of God,  heal our infirmities.  Jesus,  Son of God,  grant us Your peace.  Amen.

Read St. Luke 18:  35 – 43

As Jesus and the disciples are heading toward Jerusalem via Jericho,  a blind man hears a group of people walking past.   The blind man asks someone who is walking past.  The person says to the blind man, “It is Jesus!”  

At this moment,  the blind man calls out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”   The crowd try to shush him but the blind man calls out in a louder voice, “Jesus, Son of David,  have mercy on me!”  

Now the blind man is sitting by the roadside because his blindness is considered a sin and unclean.   The blind man can not go up to people and ask for money  nor healing.  But this blind man used his voice.  

Jesus stops and orders the blind man be brought to him.   Jesus asks the blind man, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The blind man answers,  “Lord I want to see”.     Immediately,  the blind man is healed and praises God and then follows Jesus. 

Today,  meditate upon the question that Jesus asked the blind man ….   “What do you want me to do for you?”           Picture Jesus sitting beside you right now.     How will you answer Jesus’  question…..   “What do you want me to do for you”?

Prayer:   Divine Healer,    You are our life and our love and our strength.   May we be aware of You throughout this day as we reflect on Your love and Your healing and Your wisdom and Your strength.   This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Thursday - may peace reside

Prayer:  O LORD  may peace reside in our homes and churches and governments this day.    As we journey through our lives,  help us to be peace bearers in Your name.  Amen.

Read St. Luke 18: 31 - 34

Jesus and the disciples were heading up to Jerusalem.    As they journeyed,  they would be repeating the travelling Psalms  for Worship.       They were going to the Temple to Worship.   

Yet the death and resurrection of Jesus was hidden from the disciples understanding.    To the disciples,  this was a time in preparation for a Holy Festival,  not the death of their friend.   Perhaps they thought Jesus would be the political messiah to rescue them from the tyranny of the Romans.      But for now,  they worship together by singing the psalms.

While we know the rest of the story – death to resurrection,  let us join with the disciples in reflecting  and meditating upon Psalm 121.   This Psalm was one of many that was used on the journey to the Temple in Jerusalem.  

Psalm 121

Assurance of God’s Protection

A Song of Ascents.

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—
    from where will my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ He who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time on and forevermore.    Amen.

(www.biblegateway.com   New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.)