Day 164  |  Sunday, 30 August 2020

The assigned scripture readings for this the 13th Sunday after Pentecost are: Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c; Romans 12:9-21 and Matthew 16:21-28.

 I am giving you the Romans passage from both the Message and The Contemporary English Translation.  Chapter 12 is a favorite for many followers of Christ.  There are many good directions in this section for those who are practicing Christians.  One could look at this passage as suggestions meaning we might pick only the ones that suit us.  On the other hand, we can view this passage as giving us a number of spiritual disciplines to practice as we continually commit ourselves to God and God’s love in Jesus Christ.  You might want to read this passage a few times to pick out the spiritual disciplines that help you grow in your faith.

 Romans 12:9-21 The Message
9 Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good.

10 Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

11 Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master,

12 cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder.

13 Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

14 Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath.

15 Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down.

16 Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.

17 Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone.

18 If you've got it in you, get along with everybody.

19 Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."

20 Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness.

21 Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

Romans 12:9-21 CEB
9 Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good. 10 Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. 11 Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! 12 Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of God’s people, and welcome strangers into your home. 14 Bless people who harass you—bless and don’t curse them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying. 16 Consider everyone as equal, and don’t think that you’re better than anyone else. Instead, associate with people who have no status. Don’t think that you’re so smart. 17 Don’t pay back anyone for their evil actions with evil actions, but show respect for what everyone else believes is good. 18 If possible, to the best of your ability, live at peace with all people. 19 Don’t try to get revenge for yourselves, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. It is written, Revenge belongs to me; I will pay it back, says the Lord. 20 Instead, If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. By doing this, you will pile burning coals of fire upon his head. 21 Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.

Holy God guide us as we practice spiritual disciplines to grow in our faith.  Like the Afro-American Spiritual says: “Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart.  Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart.  Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart.  Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart.”  Lord, hear our prayers.  Amen
​
Today: What spiritual disciplines need a boost in your life?
 
 

Day 163  |  Saturday, 29 August 2020 

COVID – 19 Update – as of 8-27-2020 at 3PM there were 352 cases in the county with 127 in battalion 3 and now 158 cases in battalion 1 (north east portion).

 The Mouse is sharing an article that was in the Post Journal about the upcoming election because she believes it is good information for all of us.

  “Commissioners Are Predicting Strong Election Turnout” by Natasha Matteliano

 “The Chautauqua County Board of Elections is expecting a good portion of votes to be cast this election year via absentee ballots.

 “The county currently has received 3,264 absentee ballot applications. This is compared to nearly 5,000 absentee ballots that were cast in the last presidential election, and with nearly two and a half months until the general election.

 “The county currently has 77,127 active voter registrants.

 ’We expect the turn out this year to be about 70% of the total voters, which is normal for the presidential cycle’, said Brian Abram, county Republican election commissioner. ‘Absentee voters this year will no doubt make up about 10 to 12% of the total vote, or higher.’

 “Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, use of Mail in voting is expected to increase. To obtain an absentee ballot in New York, voters are required to provide an excuse, with COVID-19 concerns now considered a valid excuse for the 2020 general election.

“The voter may return the ballot in person or by mail.

 “The Board of Elections will begin mailing ballots Friday, September 18th. The board recommends absentee ballot applications be sent in as soon as possible but postmarked or delivered to the Board of Elections no later than October 27, seven days before any election.

 “When it comes to returning the ballots the County Board of Elections said: ‘The last possible day to return a ballot by mail, while not recommended, is postmarked the day before the election postmark and the ballot must be received at the elections office no later than November 10, seven days following the election.’

 “Added Norman P. Greene County Democratic election commissioner. ‘Due to concerns over Coronavirus pandemic, voters are encouraged to vote by mail this year or vote early at our early voting sites ahead of Election Day on November 3rd.’

 “Voters who are concerned about voting in person due to COVID-19 should mark off temporary illness on their absentee ballot application, even if they are not sick.

 “Voters who have any permanent or temporary illness, are a caregiver for a person with an illness or anyone who will be out of the County on Election Day are eligible to vote by Mail.

 “There is no current plan to have absentee ballot drop boxes for Chautauqua County.

“This is due to two reasons given by the board: Commissioners Green and Abram state that they do trust the U.S. Mail Service in-spite of the hyperbole on the news programs as of late relating to the ability of the post office to return absentee ballots. The purchase of drop boxes would be prohibitively expensive both in the cost of the drop box and relating to the collection service for the drop boxes.

 “The Board of Elections will have an absentee ballot status look up program online at votechatauqua.com starting on Monday, September 21, to inform voters the status of their absentee application ballot. Voters will also be informed by mail of any discrepancies relating to the casting of their absentee ballot.

 “Early voting in Chautauqua County will take place at the Board of Elections at 7 N. Erie street in Mayville, the Chautauqua Mall main entrance at 318 E. Fairmount Ave. in Lakewood, and the Chautauqua County fairgrounds in the 4H building and AG and Expo center, 1089 Central Ave. in Dunkirk. The dates to vote early are the two weekends before Election Day, which are October 24 , 25, 31, and Nov. 1 from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM and the week days before the election on October 26 - 27 from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM in October 28 - 30 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

 “If planning on voting by Mail, the Board of Elections is recommending voters to download an absentee ballot application now from their website so that the election staff can mail requested absentees on Friday Sept. 18. That will allow for almost two months for preparation. Absentee ballots may also be dropped off at any poll site on Election Day or during early voting the two weeks ahead of the election by a voter’s family member or agent. Ballots can be dropped off at the Board of Elections from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.”
​

Day 162  |  Friday, 28 August 2020

Today: Those recovering from Hurricane Laura

 A Beginning:
“We hear a divine melody, we feel an inner pull, drawing us closer, beckoning us to draw near to the love of God, the companionship of Jesus, the guidance of the Spirit.  We are drawn to this moment.  Touch us, Holy Spirit. Bring us to life.”
 
 An Invocation:
“Holy God, draw us close. Teach us and lead us forever and everywhere to be alive and on fire with songs of gratitude, words of witness, prayers of compassion, deeds of justice, acts of kindness. Holy God, draw us close and fill us with your Spirit. Amen.”

A Prayer of Confession: Stewardship
“Loving God, you who hold us so gently, teach us the art of letting go of anything that keeps us from your embrace. We grab and clutch things that are often only a passing fad. We go after success and recognition as if they will fill our deepest longings. We saddle relationships with unrealistic and unfair expectations.
Loving God, lead us to a deeper sense of gratitude, a growing sense of trust in your ability to provide. Teach us what treasures will last until heaven. Show us the blessings of giving with joy, loving without conditions, sharing from our abundance. Amen.”
 
An Affirmation of Faith: Healing
(Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-19; Romans 8:18-21; Isaiah 53:5a; 1 Peter 2:24)
“We believe that the spirit of the Lord GOD was upon our Lord Jesus Christ, because the LORD anointed him; sending him to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the LORD'S favor.

We consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

We believe that he was wounded for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities .... We believe that he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds we have been healed.”

 A Prayer:
“God of all peoples, we come before you this day calling your holy blessing upon us. As we give our lives to you, we ask that you show us your ways. Where there is sickness, bring healing. Where there is hurt, bring comfort, where there is separation, bring resolution for health.

We lift our own concerns to you in a moment of silence. [long silence]

Grant us the insight to know when you speak to us. Help us not to drown out your message. May we know the movement of your Spirit when we experience it. And then, may we know what you would have us do. Praise to you, O Creator. Amen.”

 A Blessing: Romans 15:5-6
“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant us to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together we may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
​
Quotation: “It is pleasing to the dear God whenever you rejoice or laugh from the bottom of your heart.” -Martin Luther
 

Day 161  |  Thursday, 27 August 2020 Today – those impacted by Hurricane Laura
A Beginning:
“Grace - God's grace, before we are aware of it, loving and inviting us.  Grace - God's amazing grace, confronting, and lifting, convincing and persuading, surprising us, turning us around.

Grace - God's ongoing grace, taking us along the path, teaching, guiding, perfecting. Grace -all the faces of God's grace.”

 An Invocation:
“Loving God, look at us with love, and open our hands and hearts so we may let go of distractions and obstacles and follow you to the springs of life, eternal joy. Make this time a holy moment when we sense your spirit and get caught up in your grace. Amen.”

 A Prayer of Confession:
“God of wonders and surprises, we live life with blinders on and miss the glory you share with us. We keep our shoulders to the wheel, our eyes on the ball, our stomachs tucked in, our heads held high and wonder why life feels like a chore, why work feels like a drag and why the days go so quickly by without bringing a sense of fulfillment.

God of blessing and surprise, give us a childlike sense of fascination and delight, open our eyes to the hidden sources of water and hope everywhere, surprise us with acts of kindness, deeds of justice and signs of mercy. Amen.”
 
An Affirmation of Faith: The Lordship of Christ
(Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Revelation 19:11-16)
“We believe that if we confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved.

We believe that, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth - as in fact there are many gods and many lords - yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

For we believe the fearful and wonderful vision of John: that he saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh, he has a name inscribed, "King of kings and Lord of lords."’

 A Prayer:
“Wise, loving God, you have woven your creation together, using your relationship with us and ours with each other to give rich, intricate and diverse patterns to all of life. Grant us even a touch of the hem of your garment, so that we may be found in the fabric of your life. Amen.”

 A Blessing: Philippians 3:14, 16; 1:1
“Press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus, let us hold fast to what we have attained. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
​
 Quotation: “Anything which breaks through the routine of life may be the bearer of a message to the soul.” -Bede Griffiths
 
 
 

Day 160  |  Wednesday, 26 August 2020 – Lord’s Prayer today at noon.

Beginnings:
“God's grace - Supporting, Caring, Surprising. Grace - Tending, Holding, Embracing. Grace -God's amazing grace.”

 An Invocation:
“Holy God, as the light of the sun is transformed by plants into energy, so we transform your Divine Light into love and service.  Open our hearts so we may draw down the Light. Fill us with your presence, and turn our acts of kindness, words of blessing, gifts of service into Light for others. Amen.”
 
A Prayer of Confession:
“Great God of love, you are lavish in your care for us, stunning us with beauty, answering our prayers, giving us ideas and friends when we are in need of help. Yet how little we take notice of your care, how rarely we offer thanks, how quickly we think we are the only ones concerned. We easily get over-whelmed and overburdened, we seldom feel praise welling up in us, we let whining and grumbling have their way with us.
God of great love let us breathe deeply this day and experience your presence, as fresh as cool water. Amen.”

 An Affirmation of Faith:
“We believe in God, Creator of the good earth, where the trees form a corridor of praise and the birds form a choir to welcome each dawn; the holy earth, where flowers spin in delight and the ocean washes pain from the shore; the precious earth, where air, water, fire and living creatures tumble together, sometimes in joyous accord, but often in hurtful disarray.

We believe in Jesus, the restorer of the good path, who leads us into the depths of prayer and the heights of praise, who guides us through valleys of despair and along mountain paths of risk, who beckons us to renew relationships and restore unity.

We believe in the Spirit, who stirred the church into being and continually prompts us to be a river of hope, a stream of care, a fountain of joy and an ocean of love.

We believe in an amazing God, a risen Christ, a life-giving Spirit.”

 A Prayer:
“We pause to reflect for a moment on your grandeur ..
your creative power ...
your immense presence that fills the heavens ...
your wisdom that dwarfs ours ...
your holiness that renders us poor and helpless in comparison.
We believe in you, and therefore we have purpose.
We believe in you, and therefore we have perspective.
We believe in you, and therefore we have an anchor for our restless souls.
We believe as best our feeble faith allows.
Please help our unbelief and strengthen our faith.
To this we aspire, O God of our ancestors. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

 A Blessing: “Whenever we miss the power of your persistent, recycling fountain of grace, O God, shake us up, wake us up, change us. Let us be your people, both now and ever more.”
​
 Quotation: “He who was without sin was baptized in the River Jordan to avoid the sin of standing apart from us.”
-Barbara Brown Taylor

Day 159  |  Tuesday, 25 August 2020 

COVID-19 update – 301 in county 119 in Battalion 3

 The rest of this week: Exercise Group #5 (if you want a copy of the exercise groups, send me an email and I will send the document to you)

 GOOD NEWS.  The Monarch Butterflies are in the area.  Although we have only seen a couple, eggs were laid on milkweed and we now have 13 caterpillars in the shelter on our back porch.  They will grow until they are ready to transform into a chrysalis and then into a butterfly.  We will keep you posted on the progress and the numbers.  Stop over and take a look!

 A Beginning:
“In the presence of God, we are filled with hope, we are overwhelmed by love, we sense a holy mystery.  In the presence of the holy God, we know our sin, we fall on our knees, we are made new. In the presence of the living Christ, we stand in awe.”

 A Prayer of Invocation:
“Gracious God, you delight in giving us the kingdom; priceless treasures hidden in the ordinary. Open our eyes to discover the treasures hidden within each other, and within your Word, and within our lives. Open our hearts to know their value, which comes only from your touch. We pray this in the name of the greatest treasure you have given us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

 A Prayer of Confession:
“Loving God, you know me. You know the inner thoughts of which I am ashamed and the visible deeds I regret. You know my struggle to live faithfully: being generous to those in need; being forgiving to those who have hurt me; being patient when there is so much to do; taking time for prayer in the midst of busyness; being loving, when judging and criticizing are my first thoughts. Loving God, you know me, love me, forgive me, trust me, and I stand in awe at your amazing grace. Keep me on the path of Christ and lead me to deep joy and abundant gratitude. In his name. Amen.”

 AN Affirmation of Faith: But Now We See (Psalm 146:5-8; Luke 4:18-19; John 9:25)

“We believe that they are happy whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.

We affirm that the LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.

We believe Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

We believe there is one thing we know, that though we were blind, now we see.”
 
​A Blessing: Colossians 2:6-7
“As you ... have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
 
Quotation:
“Our world is full of injustice and unrighteousness, so something has to give where God enters the world, and it is not going to be God.” -Rosalind Brown
 
Today: Prayers for parents who are struggling with what to do with and for their children as the school year approaches.
 
 

Day 158, August 24, 2020       
From the Church Mouse –   A Must Read

 3 New Scientific Studies Say, ‘Mask Up!’ COVID-19 Can Spread In Surprising Ways We Didn’t Realize Bryan Robinson Contributor
Three new scientific studies published this month show that the COVID-19 virus can spread in more ways than we once knew. Research from various parts of the world considered three separate factors in each study: low humidity, public restrooms and airborne dust. The implications from all three of these studies? Mask up!

 Low Humidity
A study just published in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases confirms an earlier study conducted in the Greater Sydney, Australia area during the early stages of the pandemic that reported a link between low humidity and community spread of COVID-19. The new research led by Dr. Michael Ward in the Sydney School of Veterinary Science adds to the growing body of evidence that low humidity is a key factor in the spread of the Coronavirus. The scientists estimated that for a 1% decrease in relative humidity, COVID-19 cases increase by 7 to 8%. The same link was not found in other weather patterns such as rainfall, temperature or wind.

According to Ward, dry air favors the spread of the virus: “"When the humidity is lower, the air is drier and it makes the aerosols smaller," he said, adding that aerosols are smaller than droplets. "When you sneeze and cough those smaller infectious aerosols can stay suspended in the air for longer. That increases the exposure for other people. When the air is humid and the aerosols are larger and heavier, they fall and hit surfaces quicker.” These findings add to a growing body of research that recommends wearing a mask.

 Public Restrooms
A second study conducted by Chinese researchers from Yangzhou University reported that flushing a public restroom toilet or urinal can release clouds of virus-laden aerosols that can be inhaled, posing a serious public health challenge. The scientists simulated and tracked virus-laden particle movements when toilets and urinals were flushed. They discovered that flushing involves an interaction between gas and liquid, resulting in a large spread of aerosol particles.

The disturbing results revealed that the trajectory of the particles ejected from flushing showed that more than 57% of the particles traveled away from the urinal. The researchers further point out that when men use urinals in a public restroom, these tiny particles can reach their thigh within 5.5 seconds when compared to the toilet flush, which takes 35 seconds to reach slightly higher. “From our work, it can be inferred that urinal flushing indeed promotes the spread of bacteria and viruses,” said Xiang-Dong Liu, one of the study’s authors. “Wearing a mask should be mandatory within public restrooms during the pandemic, and anti-diffusion improvements are urgently needed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

 Airborne Dust
A third study from the University of California, Davis and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai reported that influenza viruses can spread through the air on dust, fibers and other microscopic particles. Until now, scientists assumed airborne transmission occurred mainly due to respiratory droplets by coughing, sneezing or talking.

The scientists examined whether tiny, non-respiratory particles could carry influenza between guinea pigs. Using an automated particle sizer to count airborne particles, they found that uninfected guinea pigs give off spikes of up to 1,000 particles per second as they move around the cage. Particles given off by the animals' breathing were at a constant but lower rate. Immune guinea pigs with influenza virus painted on their fur could transmit the virus through the air to other, susceptible guinea pigs, showing that the virus did not have to come directly from the respiratory tract to be infectious.

Next the researchers tested whether microscopic fibers from an inanimate object could carry infectious viruses. They treated paper facial tissues with influenza virus, let them dry out and then crumpled them in front of the automated particle sizer. Crumpling the tissues released up to 900 particles per second in a size range that could be inhaled. They were also able to infect cells from these particles released from the virus-contaminated paper tissues. According to the researchers, the surprising findings that dust can spread viruses have obvious implications for Coronavirus transmission and use of masks for protection. Plus, they said, it opens up an entire new field of investigation on how outbreaks are interpreted.

 References
Ji-Xiang Wang, Yun-Yun Li, Xiang-Dong Liu, Xiang Cao. (2020). Virus transmission from urinals. Physics of Fluids, 32 (8): 081703 DOI: 10.1063/5.0021450

Sima Asadi, Nassima Gaaloul ben Hnia, Ramya S. Barre, Anthony S. Wexler, William D. Ristenpart, Nicole M. Bouvier. (2020). Influenza A virus is transmissible via aerosolized fomites. Nature Communications, 11 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-17888-w
​
Ward, M.P., et al., (2020). Humidity is a consistent climatic factor contributing to SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Transboundary And Emerging Diseases, DOI.org/10.1111/tbed.13766
 ​

Day 157  |  Sunday, 23 August 2020

COVID update as of 8/21/20 2PM  286 cases 113 in Battalion 3

 The assigned Scripture lessons for this the 12th Sunday after Pentecost are: Exodus 1:8-2:10; Psalm 124; Romans 12:1-8 and Matthew 16:13-20.

 I encourage you to read these lessons in your favorite translation.  I am quoting the romans passage here today from Eugene Peterson’s The Message.  By now you have realized that I really like the way the Message reads, and the way Peterson has translated these passages.

 Romans 12:1-8 The Message
 1 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.

2 Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

3 I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

4 In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around.

5 The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body,

6 let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't. If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else;

7 if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching;

8 if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

9 Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good.

10 Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

11 Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master,

12 cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder.

 Here is another place in the scriptures where gifts are mentioned.  Each of us has been given a gift from God and hopefully we have discovered just what that gift is.  We are not given all the gifts but one that is unique to just who we are.  Do you see your gift mentioned in this section? Verse nine reminds us that Love is at the heart of who we are and what we do.  Peterson says: “Don’t fake it’. 

The CEB says – “Love should be shown without pretending.”  I would hope that the love we show, and share is very real and genuine.
​
 Today:  How are you using your God given gift?
 
 

Day 156  |  Saturday, 22 August 2020

Psalm 19:1 The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

 A Beginning:
“With no words God's glory is seen, in the blueness of the sky, in the breaking wave of the ocean. If you have eyes to see and ears to hear, God speaks in sunsets, whispers in roses, laughs in dolphin leaps. The heavens are telling the glory of God, and all creation sings for joy.”

 An Invocation:
“God of the vast universe and the tiniest creature, we marvel at your world. It lifts our spirits, it calms our anxious moments, it delights our eyes and senses.  We rejoice to call you Creator, and we lift our voices in praising you.  Meet us in our praise, we pray. In the name of Jesus. Amen.”

 A Prayer of Confession:
 “Almighty God, you are holy. We confess that, in the light of your purity, we see our own impurities. We truly have fallen short of the expectations you have of us. Forgive us. In the name of Christ who died to reconcile us to you, please come to our aid. Lead us from the paths of disaster and direct us toward holiness. Teach us to pray as the saints have prayed. Teach us to love as the godly have loved. And teach us to serve without counting the cost as your true servants have done throughout time. Most of all, grant us the courage to dare to be Christians in reality rather than in pretense, however difficult it may be. In Christ's name. Amen”

 An Affirmation of Faith – Ruler of All
(Psalm 8:1; Daniel 4:34; Isaiah 33:22; Matthew 2:6; Revelation 1:5-6)
“Oh LORD, our LORD, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 

We believe your sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty, and your kingdom endures from generation to generation. 

We believe the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our ruler, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

We believe that it was prophesied, "And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel."

We believe that this sovereign ruler is Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, who is the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

 A Bidding Prayer:
“In all ways, commit your tasks to God's guidance ... (silence for reflection)

In every moment receive God's peace ... (silence)

In all seasons, trust that God is at work ... (silence)

In the midst of difficulties, let hope in God see you through ... (silence)

In times of despair, deepen your prayer ... (silence)

At all times, let your praise flow.”
​
(Conclude with the Lord's Prayer.)

 A Blessing: “May Almighty God, who is our refuge and strength, go with us into all our endeavors, giving us guidance, comfort and the abundant life that Christ promised to all of his followers. Amen.”

 Quotation: “There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself.” - Howard Thurman