4th. June. 2020. Daily Devotion.

1 Peter 1:15-16

15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’

This is a set Bible verse for today. It echoes the words of Moses in Leviticus 11:45:

45 I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore, be holy, because I am holy.

Jesus paraphrases this in the Sermon on the Mount by saying, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48.

At first sight this is a daunting command, and may even produce a feeling like, “Do I really want to be a pious holy Willie, speaking in hushed tones and quoting the scripture at everybody? No, I don’t think so!” At least that’s my reaction!

As we celebrate Pentecost, being Holy means allowing the Spirit of God to live in us and through us with the essence of God’s being which is love. This won’t automatically banish the weaknesses or the mistakes or the strong feelings, good or bad, but will reveal them to us so that we can correct them by choosing to love and to seek grace instead.

A skilled concert pianist, who plays complex passages flawlessly, was asked how he does it. He said, “I practise very slowly and accurately. I don’t practise in any mistakes.” Most of our sins and struggles are habits we have learned. Being holy is about practising in the love and grace of God and practising out the sins and flaws.

We cannot do it alone, but the Holy Spirit who imparts the gifts of holiness helps us whenever we ask and gently but persistently reveals what we must work on. In the Holy Spirit we become Holy. Remember that the Spirit is in us as we are in the Spirit, as a bucket in the sea is full of the sea.

Morning Confession

I confess with faith and adore You, O Light indivisible, Holy Trinity and single Godhead, creator of light and dispeller of darkness. Dispel from my soul the darkness of sin and ignorance, and at this hour enlighten my mind, that I may pray to You according to Your will and receive from You the fulfilment of my supplications. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a sinner. Amen.

Prayer to Love Others Today

Oh Holy Christ, who has commanded us to love others as ourselves, and not to judge others, but to look to our own sins rather than criticizing our fellow man; I pray you to keep your words in my heart when others offend me, for they may fly from my mind when I am gripped by emotion. Many times, I judge, many times I feel anger at others, many times I look down upon someone. And even when I show a smile, my heart may yet be filled with sin, anger and malice and jealousy.

I pray to you, mighty Christ, burn your love on my heart. Let me never forget the beauty and peace of loving my fellow man. Help me be sincere in choosing good over evil. Let me seek my glory in you, Lord Christ, instead of in my own image. Soften my heart so that I feel true sympathy, and so I value others just as I do myself.

A prayer in time of Corona virus

God of our Salvation,
you have ordained that we should serve you
in serving one another.

Look upon this nation,
burdened at this time with many cares and anxieties,
with infection, sickness, and untimely death.

Grant us grace to work together,
with honest and faithful hearts,
each caring for the good of all;
that, striving first for your kingdom and its righteousness,
we may have added to us all things that we need
for our daily sustenance
and the common good.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

(Based on a prayer by Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury 1945 -1961)

O God, whose love we cannot measure,
nor even number thy blessings:
we bless and praise thee for all thy goodness,
who in our weakness art our strength,
in our darkness, light,
in our sorrows, comfort and peace,
and from everlasting to everlasting art our God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, world without end.

May your Holy Spirit, who is with me, guide me in everything I think and do, this day and always. Amen.