17th. August. 2022. Daily Devotions.

They have no speech; they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:

In my first German-language lesson in high school, I was taught to ask, “Where is the post office, please?” If I were in Germany and needed to mail a letter home, I would need to ask, “Wo ist das Post, bitte?” If you travel to countries where the language is unfamiliar, you know how important it is to learn some basics in the local language.

But how do we learn a language that has no words and no sounds? Psalm 19 teaches us that the language of the heavens and the skies has no words, yet their voice goes out to the ends of the earth, revealing knowledge.

Some never notice it, but others learn and understand. God has gifted them to observe that creation has an amazing Creator. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the Spirit of God helps us understand. A discerning mind sees and hears God’s hand in all he has created. And we can praise God for all these things. Look up at the heavens. Look down at the flowers. See the stars and smell the roses. They all proclaim that the mighty God has graced us with breath-taking displays of his creative hand.

God of creation, Lord of all that we see and hear and touch and smell, thank you for this great world you have given us to live in and care for. We praise your great and powerful name. Amen.

May we never feel forsaken, O Lord, whether in the quietness of our resting, in the storms of the day, in the cares of the world or in the journey of life. Amen. Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

For the refugee, ‘displaced’, afraid and homeless; for the ‘unplaced’ child in care, longing for a new foster home; for the elderly dementia sufferer, with ‘misplaced’ words and straying thoughts; for the ‘placeless’ young person alone on the streets, all family ties broken; for the ‘out of place’ folks who don’t seem to fit in with society or even themselves; and for those now ‘replaced’, no longer needed for whatever reason. Lord, we thank you that we are all your children and that, whoever we are, and whatever our circumstances, there is a place in your kingdom of love for us all. Amen.

Prayer for the Troubles of the Earth

God of comfort, these times seem so uncertain, so scary. The world seems darker than it has in the past and I am less sure of myself. Maybe that’s a good thing; maybe now I am turning to you with a realization that I need you so much more and that my life is not in my own control.

Let me not forget all of those around the world who are frightened at this moment. Help those who are victims of terrorism, war, and plague. Be with those who have lost so much in the past year. Hold us all in your loving arms and let us be comforted by the strength and peace you make available to us through the birth of your son, Jesus; and thank you for all the many gifts you offer us, during our life on earth and for all eternity. Amen.

Let nothing disturb you, nothing alarm you while all things fade away God is unchanging. Be patient and you will gain everything; for with God in your heart nothing is lacking. God meets your every need. St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)