27th. July. 2020. Daily Devotion

All things work together for good
for those who love God,
who are called according to God’s purpose.
For those whom God foreknew
God also predestined to be conformed
to the image of God’s Beloved.
—Romans 8.28-29

It occurs to me that something which we forget and need to be reminded, is that the purpose of the gospel is to invite us all to participate in the recovery of the image of God within us. Paul says that all things work together for good. That means that all our experiences in this life will be woven together by God in this process by which we are moulded into the image of Jesus, God’s beloved, in whom we are loved.

There is a condition though, we must respond to the call by loving God.

This is who we are: particles of the light that is God.
This is our purpose, our destiny.
God intends this for everyone before we are created
(God foreknew us), and so all of us—
everyone, not just some special class,
is predestined to be an image of God’s love:
called, justified and glorified.

This doesn’t mean everything works out OK
for God’s favourite people.
It means when we align ourselves with God’s love
we are in harmony with the infinite force for good
that is in all things.
The universe is for us, not against us.
Even in our failure or suffering
God’s purpose advances through us.

The world and its rewards and punishments
knows nothing of this.
Your calling is to give them a hint.
The infinite delight of God works in all things
to help you do this.
Even if you fail,
glory is your destiny. Steve Garnaas-Holmes

Prayer for the Holy Spirit to Pray for Me

Holy God, sometimes there is something in my heart and I cannot find the words, or sometimes, there are prayers I have wanted to pray and have forgotten. Come to me in your Holy Spirit, Lord God, I humbly ask of you, and find the prayers of my heart.

Holy Spirit of God come to me. Pray for me. Pray all the things in my heart that have escaped my mortal memory. Pray for all that I cannot find words to pray.

And come to me, O Holy Spirit, and make known your will to me. What would you have me remember today? What may I do to show my love for you?

[Let your mind remain silent and empty until you feel the Spirit has responded.]

Thank you, Lord God for the gift of your Spirit, and I pray for your help in obeying your will. In the name of Christ, I pray, Amen.

God of infinite mercy hear our prayer!

In this time of bewilderment and fear, we ask you to give us the courage to take care of one another as Jesus did. For those who are ill, especially those who are frightened and alone, for those who cannot access healthcare, for those who are homeless and lost, hear our prayer!

In our sadness and grief, we ask you to give us words to comfort one another. For those who are dying, and for those who have already died from this virus, for those who tend them and for those with no one to tend them, hear our prayer!

In our own anxiety we ask you to give us the courage to support one another as you would. For those who are unexpectedly unemployed, for employers who share what they can, for our government and financial institutions and those who lead them, hear our prayer!

In our struggle to ensure a healthy future for all who live on this planet, we ask you to give us the hope that surpasses our current understanding. For healthcare workers, spiritual leaders and our faith communities, for artists and poets, for prophets and teachers, hear our prayer!

In our growing awareness that all life on Earth is connected, we ask for the heart to respect and cherish all life. That all peoples recognize that we are all your children, hear our prayer!

We trust in you and your power working in us. Please hear and answer our prayers.

Amen!