Thought for the Day – Thursday 21st May
‘Everyone who believes that Jesus
is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the
child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and
obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his
commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of
God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our
faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is
the Son of God? This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not
with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one
that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.’ (1 John 5: 1-6)
This passage today really sums up all we have been thinking about this
week!
If we believe in Jesus, if we obey his commandments - which we are told
are not burdensome then we can conquer the world!
If we believe in Jesus as God’s son, then that means we have faith and
that faith enables us to reach out to all
children of God showing them a life of love, which in turn can help us to
conquer the world – for God though not for ourselves. The spirit given to us by
God when we believe as a gift and an advocate helps us to testify to that faith
we hold – and we can be confident in that spirit - for the spirit is truth.
So with faith we are never alone, we always have God’s spirit with us
to encourage us to love him and Jesus more deeply each day and to love our
neighbour by reaching out to them in love and when we do we can conquer the
world.
Here is another hymn of reassurance for you to sing from ‘Known
Unknowns’ which is sung to the tune of ‘Hanover’
(‘O worship the king all glorious above’ CH4 127). It not only reminds us that
the spirit is always with us but also how the spirit impacts our lives and how
we by ‘living like Jesus’ can impact
the lives of others.
God’s Spirit is here
that never alone
the followers of Christ
need face the unknown.
The fount of all living
is leading the dance,
dismantling old systems
that earth might advance.
She banishes sin,
eradicates fear;
lets hesitant faith
affirm God is here
till, living like Jesus
and blessed by his name,
we bind up the broken
and lift up the lame.
She defuses hate
and raises the dead,
becalming life’s storms,
removing all dread.
So that we might serve God
confirmed from above,
she tests us with fire
and aflames us with love.
So, seek out the lost
and share out the pain,
and love at such cost
that all rise again.
God’s lamplighting spirit
is dancing the way
from dark into dawning
from night into day. ©John L. Bell Wild
Goose Resource Group 2018
Prayer
Loving Lord,
In our loving and being loved, may our faith and your spirit, help us
to find the humility and courage, the boldness and grace, to somehow ignite our
world with a compassion so fierce that all violence and abuse, rejection and condemnation,
neglect and greed become unthinkable and your love conquers our world. In Jesus
name we pray. Amen
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