Daily Scripture:And the crowds asked him [John the Baptist], ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’ Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’ (Luke 3.10-14)Daily Reflection:Jesus’ cousin John deliberately ‘prepared the way’ as he challenged the way people were behaving; he would not have lasted a moment in those countries where governments suppress criticism. To his fellow believers his instruction is to share, and to share generously; others he tells to stick to what is honest. To all his message is to change – to help and not to exploit others. David Harmsworth
Daily ScriptureLet love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. (Romans 12:9-16a)Daily ReflectionWouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone could live like this? Sometimes (often!) the world seems so far from this way of living. We can easily feel the task is impossible, and there is no point in even trying. And if we strive to change the world, we are probably setting ourselves up for failure. But if we remember that expression, “How do you eat an elephant?... One bit at a time”, then maybe we can apply it to the ideal that the apostle Paul speaks about. Start at home; start in your community; don’t worry about the whole world. There are other people living there who can work on their little bit. Maybe they are relying on you to do your bit in your part of the world. Maybe start by trying to live in harmony with those at home, and then with your neighbour. Revd David
Daily Scripture“Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand’ (Psalm 73 v 23)Daily Reflection As a child, my dad would reach down and take my hand when we had to cross a road. It made me feel incredibly safe and protected to feel my dad’s big strong hand reaching for my hand. As his fingers gently closed around mine, it was as though nothing in the world felt better than to be holding dad’s hand.Our father in Heaven longs for us to keep our hand in His. It is only when we draw close to Him in this way that we gain strength for whatever comes our way, and comfort and encouragement for life’s many twists and turns. God’s hand is always outstretched…reaching for ours. All we have to do is reach up and take hold of it. Vicki Young
Daily Scripture‘Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgement you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbour, “Let me take the speck out of your eye”, while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbour’s eye. (Matthew 7:1-5)Daily ReflectionWe are all guilty of this. Judging others comes naturally to humans, you could say we are hard-wired to do it. Before we even register that it is happening, we have already formed an opinion of the person walking towards us on the pavement, or meeting us in our place of work or leisure, or even (whisper it quietly) greeting us as we enter church! And our life depends on it, or could do, as we have but a split second to decide whether the person in front of us is friend or potential foe…and yet, and yet…So often we get it wrong. The person we thought we would have nothing in common with, or even took an active dislike to, turns out to be our new best friend, or at least a thoroughly decent human being. We have so much to gain, and almost nothing to lose, from suspending that critical narrow-minded inner voice and trying to see the other as God sees them. With love. Revd Ylva
