Thursday 16th April | Mark Rance
Readings
Reflection
I’m often overwhelmed by mountains: vast, craggy, mist-shrouded, insurmountable, immovable, stubborn and powerfully in charge of their place and destiny.
Both psalms today speak of the greatness of God in nature. Nature is personified: responding to God in fear and reverence, leaving an overwhelming sense that nature MUST praise the Lord, for all that he is: for his redemption. Psalm 114 speaks of the earth trembling in the presence of the Mighty One and of mountains morphing into streams of joyful celebration. If God’s presence so affects inanimate matter, how much more can we expect it to affect us as God’s rational, sentient, living and breathing servants?
Is Covid 19 in control of the Earth? A resounding NO! The waters responded to the overwhelming presence of God – what else could they do? Man may fear the mountains, but mountains tremble before the Lord. The world may fear a virus, but the virus trembles before the Lord.
Psalm 114 speaks of God’s saving of the Israelites from slavery and reminds us to look ahead to Jesus’ magnificent saving of us. Used originally as part of the Passover ceremony it calls us to CELEBRATE as God redeems us. How amazing that Jesus probably sang this Psalm with his disciples on the night he was arrested. He would grant the people of God a greater deliverance than Israel out of Egypt. In that work all nature (including viruses) would be shaken.
How shall we CELEBRATE when God redeems us from this current place?
Prayers
Father God, help us to keep our fears in perspective. Help us to know that you are in charge and that ALL THINGS bow down to you.
Lord Jesus, never let us be complacent about your wonderful saving grace. May it never become just words on a page.
Holy Spirit, fill us afresh with boldness to face this moment in time and with joy as we celebrate the freedom you have in store for us in 2020 and beyond.
Amen.
Collect
Lord of all life and power,
Who through the mighty resurrection of your Son
Overcame the old order of sin and death
To make all things new in him:
Grant that we, being dead to sin
And alive to you in Jesus Christ,
May reign with him in glory;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
Be praise and honour, glory and might,
Now and in all eternity.
Amen.
