Collect (Special Prayer) for this week:

Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth, and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works, and your likeness in all your children, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord ...

Reflection:

One of my favourite hymns is a song of thankfulness for God’s love in Creation, seen both in nature and in human relations. ‘For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies... Father, unto thee we raise this our thankful hymn of praise.’

We see all around us the beauty of the earth, but is quite a challenge to recognise God’s ‘likeness’ in all the people we meet, not only those we happen to like, but everybody.

In some wonderful people the likeness of God shines through; in others God’s likeness is hard to find. But in the knowledge that we are all created by him, and are dear and precious to him, let us ask for grace and humility to recognise something of him in everyone we meet.

Starting today!

Revd Rosemary Kobus van Wengen