Daily Scripture'Peace be within your walls and tranquillity within your palaces.' (Psalm 122 v 7)Daily Reflection As I write this, the sky is azure blue and there is a sharp frost on the ground - quite a contrast to the recent bleak, damp & dark weather. The Danish have a particular way of surviving winter which they call “hugge.” They draw the curtains, light a fire, light candles around the house, put on some jumpers, make hot drinks, snuggle under blankets, and talk to each other. We may live in a privileged area of the South of England and many of you may adopt some of the above practices to make your home a warm and welcoming place. But not everyone is that fortunate - my prayer is that we all give a thought and help those who need peace and warmth within their walls. Lyn Hayes ALM
Daily Scripture:One thing have I asked of the Lord and that alone I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. My heart tells of your word, ‘Seek my face.’ Your face, Lord, will I seek. (Psalm 27:4&8)Daily Reflection:When the psalmist – probably David – says, “the house of the Lord”, he may be referring to a temple; but - putting ourselves into these words - it would be a bit strange to want to live in the church every day of our life, wouldn’t it? Much more likely he is using the phrase to mean, “the presence of the Lord”…..that I may dwell in the presence of the Lord all the days of my life. What a wonderful gift; what a great desire: dwelling (living) in the presence of God every day of your life; not having to wait “for heaven”! And this is the only thing that David asks for; it is the only thing he seeks….. “My heart tells of your word, ‘Seek my face’.” Can we put ourselves into these words today: and seek – really look – for the presence of God in the world, in your life? There is great joy in finding God. Revd David
Daily ScriptureJesus said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’ (John 8.12)Daily ReflectionWhere does a national leader find guiding light? American Presidents lead a nation whose motto used to be ‘From many, one’ but in the 1950s was changed to ‘In God we trust’. Unity under the star-spangled banner remains an ideal which poses an immense challenge to the new President. Leaders of vibrant Christian churches all over the world also continue to search for unity (this is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity) but face difficulty in reconciling conflicting principles. Each one of us has to look for light in darkness and each day choose our path in that light. ‘God is love’ - where will love take us? David Harmsworth
Daily Scripture:"The time is surely coming, says the Lord God, when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but they shall not find it." (Amos 8.11&12)Daily Reflection:Amos was a prophet who served God around 750 B.C. The people of Israel were living under a pious veneer of religion (as one commentator on the Bible puts it); Amos came along – directed by God – and told them a few home-truths. If we read prophets like this, we can learn from them by putting ourselves in the place of the people they were speaking to. (Two examples: Have we grown complacent? Do we ignore the needs of others?) What struck me about these two verses was: there must have been a time when people really searched for the word of God; they had a desire deep inside to hear God. Oh how things changed! We have God’s word available to us – the Bible. Let’s not be apathetic about it. It is a gift for you. Cherish it; don’t ignore it. It can provide you with answers about life. Revd David
