WATCHWORD:
Here it is Sunday morning and I am at home, my church is dark, and maybe yours, too – but not our hearts for we learned long ago that church is within us, and Jesus is Lord. Our pastor has sent an e-service we may use this morning, including the following:
Prayer of the day: Bend your ear to our prayers, Lord Christ, and come among us. By your gracious life and death for us, bring light into the darkness of our hearts, and anoint us with your Spirit, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Readings for the day: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Psalm 23, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41.
Personal Thoughts:
This morning in my reading of Oswald Chambers I came across a series of sentences that applied directly to a book that I’m in the process of writing. It is a Christian fantasy. There are parallel storylines: one that follows the lives of mortals in a peaceful and loving community that is suddenly confronted with a tragedy, when a mine collapses killing three miners, leaving five children fatherless. The other story line follows a class of baby angels who are following the lives of the mortals and relating what they see to what Jesus has taught. In My Utmost for his Highest we read ‘we cannot stay forever on the Mount of Transfiguration, basking in the light of our mountaintop experience’ (Mark 9:1-9). The lessons the baby angels are learning from the Wise One, their teacher, is that even in adversity there are lessons to be learned. The strength that comes from overcoming adversity with the faith that God is in charge and God loves us. What we are all going through with this virus is not a test, it’s an opportunity for our ‘hearts to burn’ with the knowledge that He is with us (Luke 24:32). Peace.
— Stan Escott
Closing Prayer:
Thank God for what has been revealed to you today. Thank God for all of your blessings. Pray for all the people on the front lines of this crisis. Pray for your family and friends, and yourself, and remember to express your gratitude to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Go in peace. Live as a child of the Light. Amen.
