Thought for the Day – Thursday 14th May
A piece of what is called ‘Parental
Advice’ from the writer of Proverbs and found at Proverbs 4: 10-18.
‘Hear, my child, and accept my
words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom;
I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not
be hampered; and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do
not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the
wicked, and do not walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn
away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they
are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the
bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the
righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until
full day.’
Sound advice for us all! Sound
advice any parent might seek to give their child. Sound advice given in order
that by following it we may ensure that we are walking each day in a right
relationship with God and not falling into wickedness or being influenced by
those who would do wicked things. Sound advice which, if followed, will keep us
on that light, ever brightening and shining path until we see ‘full day’. Sound advice we can take
even during this time of Lockdown by spending time each day with God, with his
word and reminding ourselves of his advice to us!
On reading this today though, it
struck me that at this time when some parts of our nation are coming out of
Lockdown and beginning to ease their measures and restrictions on lives that it
would be so easy for us up here in Scotland, where we are still in Lockdown, to
be tempted from our path and fail to ‘keep
hold of instruction’. I am sure many folk will indeed be questioning
authority and asking why if others in other parts of the country can go to
Garden Centres, play golf and other sports, go further from home, exercise
whenever they wish, see friend or family – albeit at a distance - then why
can’t they?
However, are instructions not
instructions? Have we not been given sound advice to follow based on scientific
facts? Importantly too, are we not complying with those instructions not just
for our own good but for the good of all?
This is a global pandemic and we
must think not only of ourselves, of our own country, of our own nation, but of
all our neighbours wherever they are in the world and by keeping to our
instructions we keep not just ourselves safe and well but our neighbours near
and far safe and well too.
I am sure like me you are wishing
for these restrictions to be eased and for the time when we can all meet our
families once more, meet each other together, share in our joys and sorrows
together. However, stepping off the right path at this time, failing to follow
those instructions, may only take us down a path we do not wish to go and may
bring harm not just to us but to our worldwide neighbours too.
Stick to the path and stay safe
and well; we will get through this time, God is with us at all times.
A Prayer for those in the midst of a global pandemic from Christian
Aid
‘Love…bears all things, believes
all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.’
(1 Corinthians 13:7-8)
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