Daily Scripture: As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God. (Psalm 42 1-2 & 11) Daily Reflection We can all be excused for feeling a little down sometimes, especially in these days of continual uncertainty - it feels as if we will never have our thirst quenched again. What does the psalmist do in such desperate circumstances? He doesn’t give up. He doesn’t give in to despair. He remembers - he thinks back to those many times when God has been very real to him. When God feels very far away, when things aren’t going right for us, when it seems as if everyone is against us, when we are tempted to despair the psalmist encourages us to think back to the times when we knew without doubt that God was with us, and to know that, if we refuse to be defeated, better times will surely come. Lyn Hayes ALM
Daily Scripture:Know that the Lord is God; it is he that has made us and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and bless his name. (Psalm 100:3-4)Daily Reflection:God alone is worthy of being worshipped. If you haven’t been able to find the time to come to church in the past, as we come out of Covid restrictions, perhaps it is a good time for a resolution to do so. As the psalmist said, “Know that the Lord is God; it is he that has made us.” That’s a good enough reason to come and worship him. And if you are in the habit of coming to church regularly, do you do so joyfully; full of praise? Do you come willingly; joyfully? Or is it out of habit; going through the motions? Next time you walk into church, remember the message of this Psalm: God made you; so enter his courts with thanksgiving and praise Him! Revd David
Daily Scripture“Know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” (Luke 12.39-40)Daily Reflection‘The end of the world is nigh’ the sandwich boards used to proclaim. There’s been less of that since the new millennium arrived without catastrophe. Now, we are more likely to be concerned that life on earth will become impossible through global warming. However, Jesus chose a vivid everyday example from any time or place to keep us awake to the vital importance of the moment. He doesn’t say we must crowd every hour with activity, but that we must ‘be ready’. Ready to meet God, to be met by Jesus, even though we don’t know what to expect. David Harmsworth
Daily Scripture: The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, and will save those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)Daily ReflectionEven those who profess not to believe in God can, when a disaster is about to strike – and panic has set in – cry out in desperation, “Oh God, no”, or “Oh God, help me.” (Even if they’ve ignored his presence all their lives, in that split-second, people cry out to God for help!) We often wish we could escape our troubles: the pain of grief, loss, sorrow, failure, embarrassment; or even the daily minor frustrations that seem to constantly wear us down. Well, here’s the good news: God promises to be close to “the broken-hearted”. He can be our source of power, courage, and wisdom to help us through our problems. Don’t wait for that split-second of desperation; start trusting him now. Start seeking his help in your life - now. Revd David
