Monday 6th April | Olivia Clarke
Readings
Reflection
Have you ever turned your back on God or put other things in your life as ‘number one’ instead of Him? Does it ever feel like you’ve gone too far to come back?
The Israelites (God’s chosen people in the Old Testament) did that. In Lamentations 1:1-12 it’s all about how God is experiencing grief and anger over how His people have turned away from Him, becoming lost and covered in their own sin, and taken over by their enemies. God’s beloved people have chosen to love other things over and instead of Him, yet throughout this, He never stopped loving them. God has every right to be angry about this and so justly, His anger is poured out onto them and their city is in ruin. But God has a plan of reconciliation.
If you relate to the questions I asked at the start, there’s GOOD NEWS! In Luke 22:20, Jesus talks about the ‘new covenant’. In other words, Jesus took God’s anger (that we deserve because of our sin of turning away) upon Himself so that we never have to pay that price. He did that by dying on the cross and through that made the way for our relationship with God to be restored. It means we can always come back to Him and be totally forgiven. This is God’s great reconciliation plan.
Psalm 41 is a prophecy about Jesus - it tells us about how Judas (one of his closest friends) will betray him and yet God ultimately delivers Jesus and doesn’t let His enemies triumph over Him. This deliverance is true for us too when we’re in relationship with Him, and it means that no matter how many times we mess up and turn away, in His great love He will always have mercy on us and receive us with joy and open arms when we come back.
Prayers
Father, thank you for your unfailing and deep love for me.
I’m sorry for when my heart has chased other things above you and I’ve failed to put you first.
I want to turn back to you as King of my heart. Please help me to know your love in a deeper way.
Thank you Jesus for sacrificing yourself on the cross so I could live in freedom and be forgiven! Help me live in this truth.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Collect
Almighty and everlasting God,
Who in your tender love towards the human race sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
To take upon him our flesh
And to suffer death upon the cross:
Grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
And also be made partakers of his resurrection;
Through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
Who is alive and reigns with you,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, now and for ever.
Amen.
