Daily Scripture:‘Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul, ♦and why are you so disquieted within me?O put your trust in God; ♦for I will yet give him thanks...’ Psalm 42 6-7Daily Reflection:Some of us are entering into this second lockdown with heavy hearts. In many places the Bible talks about perseverance, pushing through the hard times, in the sure knowledge that, with God, good will come out of it. The psalmist tells us what to do to remedy heavy hearts - "O put your trust in God" he says. While it may seem that no one has control over this virus, God is still on the throne. People are reaching out to people. Humanity is changing. We are not alone. Today, say this prayer to God " yet (in spite of my circumstances) I will give you thanks, I will trust you".Vicki Young
Daily Scripture‘Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.’ (Philippians 2:3-4) Daily ReflectionNow in these Covid times this is what we need to learn more and more, to look to the interests of others. It is easy for us to become inward looking, scared and uncertain as we are. As long as I, or we, are alright, everything is fine. In the last lockdown, a lot of panic buying and hoarding went on, with many forgetting the needs of their neighbour. Jesus teaches us a better way, here expressed by his apostle Paul. When we look towards the interest of the other, we ourselves will find our deepest need met: to know that we belong, first of all to each other, and ultimately to God. Jesus says the same, namely: Love the Lord your God and your neighbour as yourself.Revd Ylva
Daily Scripture‘I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints’ (Paul’s letter to Philemon verse 4)Daily ReflectionToday is the Feast of All Saints. When we think of saints we most probably think of the great heroes of the faith, often depicted in stained glass windows, and known to us from the Bible, or from history or legend. Their stories inspire and encourage us. They remind us of what God can accomplish in ordinary human beings.Paul, in his letters, refers to all his hearers as ‘saints’, which means ‘holy ones’ - although clearly they are still far from perfect. They, like us, are called to be holy. We, like them, are work in progress.Let us thank God for all those who have inspired and encouraged us in our faith, and pray that we may have grace to fulfil our own calling to be his holy ones in the world today.Revd Rosemary
