Tuesday 12th May | Nicholas Nelson
Readings
Reflection
It’s possible to forget that we are born with the innate ability to actively respond to God’s love. Every conscious moment we are presented with these 2 options: Worship heaven or not. Follow Christ or stay. Connect with God or neglect.
God loves us completely and wrapped up in this love is required a response. Occasionally we ignore this call, but heaven is constantly waiting for our answer. This is perhaps our highest responsibility as humans: to move towards God in some meaningful way.
With Simon Peter, James and John the call in Luke 5 was to drop their nets and follow Jesus. How amazing would it have been for the long awaited Messiah to turn up on a normal workday, help you do a week's worth of work in like 20 minutes and then ask you to quit your job immediately and join his inner circle. Easy choice.
David shows us the most marvellous response to God in Psalm 19. His reckless confidence in God, and praise towards heaven was unashamed, uncommon and vulnerable. It is beautiful to read the words of such a passionate human.
So how are we to respond in these unusual times? Thankfulness for all of the good gifts bestowed is a perfect start. In Numbers 11, the people grew tired of the manna provided by heaven. By forgetting to be thankful, they lost sight of what God was giving them on a daily basis.
In any situation, thankfulness, worship, meditation on God’s words and following Jesus are the perfect response to God’s great love for us.
Prayers
God,
Thank you for loving us.
Thank you for your good and perfect gifts.
Please give us better ability to see them
And to delight in you.
Above all, let us move closer to you every day.
Amen.
Collect
Almighty God,
Who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ
Have overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:
Grant that, as by your grace going before us
You put into our minds good desires,
So by your continual help
We may bring them to good effect;
Through Jesus Christ our risen Lord,
Who is alive and reigns with you,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, now and for ever.
Amen.
