26th. November. 2020. Daily Devotion.

Today is Thanksgiving in North America. It may be good to participate with them in it.

Thanksgiving Blessing

The Lord has been good to us. We enjoy many beautiful and comforting benefits of the physical world, and we take an opportunity at Thanksgiving to show our gratitude for our food, and for such peace and health and wealth as we might enjoy, always remembering the terrible suffering that those with less might endure. Why, we must ask ourselves, does God allow us so much? For the Bible tells us that to find God, we must “hate” the world.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17).

But we must remember, all the way back to Genesis 1, that God did not create the world to be hostile to mankind, or hated, but to nurture and please us. We are thus grateful for His creation, and He allows us to take pleasure in life that we might understand His love for us more fully. Enjoying what the world might give us, when we do so as God intended, brings us closer to Him. It gives us a taste of what God intends for us and has always intended for us.

O Lord God, from whom comes every good and perfect gift, we give You hearty thanks for Your love, your grace, and the tender mercies you have showered upon us. We praise you for everything, whether of joy or sorrow, that brings us closer to You and to our brothers and sisters here on Earth.

You created us to give glory to You. Help us to show our love and thanksgiving by treating one another with respect and kindness, loving one another as you have taught us to do; and give us a passion to help those who struggle to obtain the necessities of life. We pray that as we celebrate this season, we may never forget that all that we have comes from You.

We thank you for the fruit of Your earth, the food we enjoy today, and especially for family and friends gathered here to share it with. Oh Lord, bless us and keep us; make your face to shine upon us and give us grace, today and forever more. ~M. Barge

Christ the King

God the Father,
help us to hear the call of Christ the King
and to follow in his service,
whose kingdom has no end;
for he reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, one glory.
Amen.

For Refugees

Almighty and merciful God,
whose Son became a refugee and had no place to call his own;
look with mercy on those who today are fleeing from danger,
homeless and hungry.
Bless those who work to bring them relief;
inspire generosity and compassion in all our hearts;
and guide the nations of the world towards that day when all will rejoice in your Kingdom of justice and of peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord God, your Son Jesus Christ suffered and died for us.
In his resurrection he restores life and peace in all creation.
Comfort, we pray, all victims of intolerance
and those oppressed by their fellow humans.
Remember in your kingdom those who have died.
Lead the oppressors towards compassion
and give hope to the suffering.
Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.