Daily ScriptureThe sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)Daily ReflectionKing David – one of God’s faithful servants – had committed adultery with Bathsheba. (We all get things wrong.) The prophet Nathan had torn a strip off him! David pleads before God that his transgressions be washed away, and that he be cleansed. “Give me again the joy of your salvation,” he cries in another part of the psalm. Then he speaks these seemingly strange words. This does not mean that God wants a crushed spirit; he does not want us to be broken people. What he wants is for each of us to recognise within ourselves the things that separate us from God, the wrong actions, the wrong thoughts. He wants us to reach a point where we genuinely want to stop doing what is wrong, and seek his help. God is pleased with that kind of humility (brokenness) in us. “Deliver me from my guilt, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness.” (v.14) Revd David
Daily Scripture:Have mercy on me, O God, for they trample over me; all day long they assault and oppress me. My adversaries trample over me all the day long; many are they that make proud war against me.In the day of my fear I put my trust in you, in God whose word I praise. In God I trust, and will not fear, for what can flesh do to me? (Psalm 56.1-4)Daily Reflection:Thanks to modern communications, we can be made aware of so many ways in which folk suffer. This week is Awareness Week for no fewer than 11 different causes aiming to channel energy into answering cries for help from people in trouble. Among them is Refugee Week. Here in Kent we receive a tiny fraction of the millions worldwide being ‘trampled over’. Let us pray for them – that they may have the Psalmist’s spirit, that their oppressors might feel compassion and that we may be part of God’s answer to the cry of those in need of rescue. David Harmsworth
Daily Scripture “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. (Romans 10:8-10)Daily Reflection Your salvation - your way of being saved – is right in front of you; God comes to us wherever we are. “Wherever we are”; physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually…. however you want to look at it….God is so close; just waiting for our response to his love. All we need to do is respond to his gift of salvation. “Yes, but how do I do that; it must be complicated?” “You don’t know what I’ve done in the past; God won’t save me.” “I’ve never been to church; God won’t save me.” “I don’t know how to pray; how can I be saved?” It actually is very simple: if you believe in your heart and say with your mouth that Christ is risen, you will be saved. It is about having faith. Don’t try to make it any more complicated. Revd David
