Collect (Special Prayer) for this week:Almighty God, you have created the heavens and the earth, and made us in your own image: teach us to discern your hand in all your works, and your likeness in all your children, through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord ...Reflection:One of my favourite hymns is a song of thankfulness for God’s love in Creation, seen both in nature and in human relations. ‘For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies... Father, unto thee we raise this our thankful hymn of praise.’We see all around us the beauty of the earth, but is quite a challenge to recognise God’s ‘likeness’ in all the people we meet, not only those we happen to like, but everybody.In some wonderful people the likeness of God shines through; in others God’s likeness is hard to find. But in the knowledge that we are all created by him, and are dear and precious to him, let us ask for grace and humility to recognise something of him in everyone we meet.Starting today!Revd Rosemary Kobus van Wengen
Scripture: Then Peter said “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!’ (Acts 3 verse 6)Reflection:Do you ever wish you could change something in your life for the better? Before he was healed, the lame man in the above story sat at the city gates everyday begging for money. This was his life, the same thing every day, depending on others for survival, and because it was so ‘normal’ for him, perhaps he had become content with the status quo; comfortable with his ‘lot’ in life? It took the intervention of God’s disciples and God’s power to shake him out of his comfortability, and into a healed life of endless possibilities! The same God that healed this lame man and enabled him to jump up and walk, is the same God yesterday, today and forever. He is a God who changes lives for the better. Be warned though - change equals growth, and growth does not always equal comfort - but God never promised us comfort, he promised us abundance! He also promised to journey with us every step of the way… into a healed life of endless possibilities. Vicki Young
