Blessed are Those Retreat

Happy Monday  30 January 2012.   Aaaah,  Mondays.    This is the day in the week that we are back to school,  back to work,  back to volunteerings, and cleaning up the fabric scraps off of the quilting table. As well as wondering how in the world all those 2 1/2" squares somehow ended up being 1 1/2" too big in some strips.... hummm.  
There is something special about Mondays as we take the Gospel into our daily lives.   
Sunday in Brandon was a day of adventure.   St. Andrew's  Presbyterian Church said Good-Bye to
Rev Paul Sakasov as God calls him to begin ministry with  Elmvale - Floss Pastoral Charge in Ontario.   Lay Pastor  Kathy Lancaster and the Youth lead worship at First Church.  AND  Rev Jeannie Lee was inducted into Knox Neepawa (45 minutes northish of Brandon).   Sunday was a day of celebration indeed!

Reading Katie's  blog this morning at the Messy Table was an aha!   (You can find her blog off of http://www.presbyterianrecord.ca/  then click on Messy Table).   Through the time of Lent,  Katie will be reading the Gospel According to St. Matthew.    God is a God of connections.   And here we are reading The Gospel According to St. Matthew for our year long devotional!  How neat.  

Prayer:   Grant us mercy O LORD.   Grant us the mercy that brings new life and hope into all our lives.   Grant us the mercy,  Son of God,  that brings love into our lives.   Amen.

Read:  St. Matthew 5: 6 – 8

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness”.  Jesus does not only mean those who are hungry and thirst but those who would put their lives on the line in order that God’s will be done on earth.  These are the  people who seek righteousness and justice in everyday lives, not for themselves,  but for all others on this earth.  

“Blessed are the merciful”.  Mercy is  the practice of bringing life and hope and love into people’s lives.  

“Blessed are the pure in heart”.    Jesus does not say, “Blessed are those who are perfect!”   Phew.  Thank goodness.  What Jesus is saying here are the pure in heart are those who always put God first and ask God where He may use them each day to help others. These are the people who seek God.     These are the pure in heart.  

Prayer:   This day,  Great God,  may we put You first in everything that we do and say.   Help us to seek You out in everything that we do and say today.   Grant us Your wisdom to discern Your call this day.   Amen and Many Blessings.