30th. April 2020.Daily Devotion.

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness – 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3 and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Saviour,4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour. Titus 1:1-4

We received our letter from the First Minister yesterday. It was sensible and reassuring and acknowledges that the situation is not easy. Ms Sturgeon’s appeal to the nation to tap into our national determination, character and compassion is well put. With promises of help should we need it, it is an invitation to have faith in the Government. That should be given as a matter of trust. We are people of faith. Are there lessons from the faith which we place in God, because of course we trust Him before everyone else? Here are some thoughts about faith for today:

God, who does not lie, promised. (Titus 1:2)
Faith is not conjuring up, through an act of your will, a sense of certainty that something is going to happen. No, it is recognizing God’s promise as a fact, believing it is true, rejoicing in the knowledge of that truth, and then simply resting because God said it.

I often hear people praying for more faith, but when I listen carefully to them and get to the essence of their prayer, I realize it is not more faith they are wanting at all. What they are wanting is their faith to be changed to sight.
Faith does not say, “I see this is good for me; therefore, God must have sent it.” Instead, faith declares, “God sent it; therefore, it must be good for me.”
Faith, when walking through the dark with God, only asks Him to hold his hand more tightly. Phillips Brooks

As people of faith we respond to God with that faith. We trust that He will work through our elected officials for whom it is our duty, regardless of politics, to pray.

Psalm Fragment

Endow the king with your justice, O God,
the royal son with your righteousness.
2 May he judge your people in righteousness,
your afflicted ones with justice.

3 May the mountains bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness.
4 May he defend the afflicted among the people
and save the children of the needy;
may he crush the oppressor.
5 May he endure as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations.
6 May he be like rain falling on a mown field,
like showers watering the earth.
7 In his days may the righteous flourish
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. Psalm 72:1-7

Prayer

Lord of life and God of our salvation, we ask your blessing on all that is best about us, and your forgiveness for anything that has fallen short of the greatness of the past, the hopes of the present, and the call to higher things in the future.
Guide those who direct the affairs of this nation. Sustain them in their work, support them in their anxieties, and strengthen them in their resolve to seek and pursue the well-being of all the people. Give them joy in their service, due pride in their successes, and the approval of a good conscience in all their endeavours. And so work among us by your good and kindly Spirit, that our towns, cities, districts and nation may be renewed in beauty and order, in happiness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Book of Common Order 1994)

The Shepherd does not ask of thee
Faith in your faith, but only faith in Him;
And this He meant in saying, “Come to me.”
In light or darkness seek to do His will,
And leave the work of faith to Jesus still.