Daily Scripture:“Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:17)Daily Reflection: This is part of the story in Luke’s gospel where the disciples try to stop parents bringing their children to Jesus that he might bless them; instead Jesus stops his disciples from stopping the children! “It is to these that the kingdom of God belongs,” he says. Jesus valued the little children as being equal to anyone else. In rebuking/teaching his disciples he tells them that ‘whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it’. That must have shocked them! We too are to approach Jesus in the same way. So what was Jesus getting at? Well how about we approach Jesus with an attitude of openness and acceptance; and wonder; and trust. And at the same time be inquisitive; wanting to know more about God?Revd David
Daily Scripture“This God - his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all who take refuge in him”. (Psalm 18, verse 30)Daily ReflectionKing David wrote this Psalm when God delivered him from his enemies. He knew that when things looked bad, the only person to trust in is God. Nothing he could do in his own strength could save him perfectly, as God did. There are many wonderful promises in the Bible – promises that as David says, prove to be true. God will never ever let you down, if you trust Him; with your work, with your family, with your hopes and desires. God’s way for you is perfect – no other way could be better. Trust in the Lord with all your heart…. and He will make your paths straight. Vicki Young
Daily Scripture:“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)Daily Reflection:Jesus is teaching his disciples about the future, the things that will happen, and the signs that they will see. He’s used the example of leaves appearing on a fig-tree; when you start to see the leaves appear you know summer is near. So, look for “the signs”. But then Jesus speaks words which have divided theologians ever since: “This generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away… but my words will not.” But isn’t “heaven” eternal?! I certainly cannot explain it in 130 words! What this verse does show though is just how important Jesus viewed his teaching – his “words” - to his disciples. We have his words as our scriptures; maybe we should view them as being incredibly important to our lives?Revd David
Daily Scripture:“In that day you will say: Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name, make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.” (Isaiah. 12.4)Daily Reflection: ‘Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord! Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice’The words of Isaiah go back some 1100 years, while the hymn was composed only in the 1960s, but the writers have in common an overwhelming sense of joy and thankfulness for God’s blessings which simply has to be shared with others. There is no more powerful testimony to faith than the thankfulness that overflows into praise, and shows itself not only in words but in the way we live.Lord, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful, and that we show forth thy praise not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to thy service... (From the General Thanksgiving, BCP) Revd Rosemary
