Daily ScriptureI trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever. I will always give thanks to you for what you have done. (Psalm 52 v8-9)Daily ReflectionThose of us who know God can look back on certain situations in our lives and clearly see the ‘hand of God’…. Times when He has given us exactly the right words to say, times when He has saved us from mishap, times when he has sent us the right person at just the right time. A friend of mine uses the phrase ‘God-incidences’ as oppose to ‘coincidences ‘ for just such times!When you look back on your life, can you remember a time when God has felt close to you? It may have been in a quiet moment by yourself, a beautiful picture or piece of music, a kind word from a friend. Be assured that these happenings were not ‘coincidences’ - they were generously orchestrated by the God who loves you and wants the best for you. Go about today with your eyes open - don’t miss those intricate moments that God has made happen especially for you. Vicki Young
Daily ScriptureI trust in the goodness of God for ever and ever. I will always give thanks to you for what you have done. (Psalm 52 v8-9)Daily ReflectionThose of us who know God can look back on certain situations in our lives and clearly see the ‘hand of God’…. Times when He has given us exactly the right words to say, times when He has saved us from mishap, times when he has sent us the right person at just the right time. A friend of mine uses the phrase ‘God-incidences’ as oppose to ‘coincidences ‘ for just such times!When you look back on your life, can you remember a time when God has felt close to you? It may have been in a quiet moment by yourself, a beautiful picture or piece of music, a kind word from a friend. Be assured that these happenings were not ‘coincidences’ - they were generously orchestrated by the God who loves you and wants the best for you. Go about today with your eyes open - don’t miss those intricate moments that God has made happen especially for you. Vicki Young
Daily Scripture “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5:38-42) Daily Reflection This teaching of Jesus’ is hard for us to understand. It goes against the grain, runs counter to everything that seems natural to us. If someone wants to hurt you, or take away what is yours, or take you to court, it is surely only right to resist? But the truth is, that we often just end up hurting both ourselves and the other, and nothing changes. Jesus is teaching us “soft power”. The more we stall, and bridle, the more we fight back, the more power the other has over us. As we ‘kill with kindness’, wearing our forbearance lightly and going the extra mile (or two), we are smothering our enemy with love, giving them no purchase on us. And in the process both them and we are transformed. Revd Ylva
Daily ScriptureJesus said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’ (Mark 4.26-34)Daily ReflectionHaving only come to gardening late in life, it still astonishes me that the tiny seeds I put in the ground and cover with a layer of earth actually come up as carrots and spinach, lettuce and leeks. What an act of faith! And after planting them I have no part in what they become. Nor do I dig them up to see how they are getting on!The seeds of God’s kingdom are planted in many ways, through teaching, through prayer, through seeing God at work in people’s lives. We are not called to coerce or hurry others into faith. Like the farmer in the parable, we get on with our daily life, trusting that if we are faithful planters, he will take care of the timing of the harvest. Revd Rosemary Kobus van Wengen
