Daily Scripture‘Your word is a lantern to my feet and a light upon my path.’ (Psalm 119:105)Daily ReflectionThis is a beautiful image in this verse of scripture, and they are reassuring words. The lantern that we carry gives light at our feet so we don’t stumble over things immediately in front of us. The lantern also illuminates the whole path that we are walking so that we know the direction we should be heading in. What is it that helps prevent us from tripping up? “Your word”. But we can walk confidently along without stumbling, but at the same time heading in completely the wrong direction! What is it that helps us walk the right way? “Your word”. What is this thing – Your word – that is so helpful?........It is picking up your Bible and reading some verses of scripture. Make it a habit; it works; it helps..….you’ll see.Revd David
Daily Scripture‘Bless the Lord, O my soul…Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with faithful love and compassion.’ (Psalm 103 v 1 and 4)Daily Reflection How do you see God? According to some writers, the way we think about God influences everything about our lives - our attitudes, our desires, actions and even our words. Do you see God as uninterested, distant, powerless maybe? Let the words of today’s Psalm help you to see God as he really is – God who redeems you, makes you “whole” again, shows you your true potential. You are precious to Him, so precious that he “crowns” you with his love. So precious that he “crowns” you with his compassion. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, says that we can trace all our human problems back to our view of God. The Bible tells us the truth about God – He is full of love, full of compassion and longing to meet our every need. Perhaps it is not our circumstances that need changing, but the way we see God?Vicki Young
Daily Scripture‘Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us your gift of faith that, forsaking what lies behind and reaching out to that which is before, we may run the way of your commandments and win the crown of everlasting joy; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.’ (Collect for the 18th Sunday after Trinity)Daily ReflectionSometimes it feels difficult to 'forsake that which lies behind', to leave the past and reach out for the future. This can only be achieved by an act of faith. Faith that, whatever the future holds, it will be better and more worthwhile than that which we leave behind. Faith can be many things, but it is always filled with hope, the hope of a bright tomorrow and a good life and eventually of everlasting joy. Sometimes this hope seems far off, but nevertheless it urges us to press on, to 'run the way of your commandments and win the crown', as if we were sprinters in one mighty, God-inspired race, where life with God forever is the ultimate prize and in which everyone can be a winner!Revd Ylva
Daily Scripture‘Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.’ (Philippians 4.8)Daily Reflection Paul’s encouragement to think about all that is wonderful and lovely in the world runs directly counter to the habits of mind instilled by most of the modern media. Their stock in trade seems to be mainly what is untrue, unjust, impure, ugly and vicious. Apparently, what is good and beautiful is not what sells newspapers. The saying is that we are what we eat, and if we become accustomed to a diet of ugliness and mistrust we risk losing the ability to recognise beauty when we see it. A recently published book, Humankind, by Rutger Bregman, contradicts the widely held view that humans are inherently bad and the world a mess, and encourages us to open our eyes to the goodness and beauty that surround us.Let us, as St Paul urges us, think about these things.Revd Rosemary
