Daily Devotions - Thursday, 28 May 2020
|
DAILY DEVOTIONS Thursday, 28 May 2020 - #ThyKingdomCome (The video version is available by clicking HERE ) Call to Prayer …you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. (Jeremiah 29 : 12) Prayer Lord God, hear us now as we join in prayer. Hear us now as we stop, as we listen. Hear us now as we call out to you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen Bible Reading : Peter prays for Dorcas Introduction Today’s story about a woman being raised from the dead challenges our assumption that we are left to our own devices, to fix our own problems or, more to the point, that our problems are not fixable at all. We live in a world where the familiar nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty has tremendous influence. Humpty Dumpty is broken and the common assumption is that putting him back together again is an impossible task. That is just the way it is — but not according to Acts. According to Acts, and indeed our story today, we are told that we need to look with new eyes, for with God what was once impossible is now possible. Acts tells us that those who belonged to the Way, those who followed Christ’s teaching in the early Church (9 : 2) were empowered to “turn the world upside down” (17 : 6). So in Acts we keep reading stories about conversions, healings and life after death. This community empowered by the Holy Spirit was not content with the status quo. We hear today the story of Tabitha, who reminds us that in the ordinary we find God’s love and compassion for those in need. In the ordinary we find Gods work, in the ordinary we find a new extraordinary. We hear how prayer is not be forgotten in our times of trial and distress, for as we were reminded in our call to prayer just moments ago, when we call out to God he hears us, when we seek him we will find him. So listen anew to the Word of God. Acts 9 : 36 - 43 Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner. Prayer
as you heard Peters prayer, hear ours today as we come in thanksgiving. Help us to hear the call to life, to get up and to serve you through the good times and the bad.
God of hope, you heard Moses worry and said; Do not fear for I am with you. Be with us today in our worries and in our fear.
God of opportunity, You told us “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” So we come today and knock at the door of opportunity. We pray for your wisdom as we begin to find freedom once again. Guide us in your plans for tomorrow.
God of the whole world, as we come towards the end of Thy Kingdom Come, as we join with countless Christians around the world in prayer, we remember the stuggles of Christians here at home and across the world, those who can’t worship openly, those whose families don’t understand and for all who live with the shadow of death hanging over them because they believe. Grant them your peace, protection, hope and love today.
In a moment’s silence we bring our own prayers to you in the knowledge that you hear our cries for help. SILENCE God of compassion, hear our prayers today, both spoken out loud and in the silence of our hearts, in Jesus’ name. Amen |
