23rd. September 2020. Daily Devotion
Matthew 17:20
Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.’
As we read in Paul’s letters, faith is the key to our salvation. The seed of our faith is the most basic belief: we believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. And from this springs a great tree, a fruit tree, a tree that bears the fruit of the Spirit. But we cannot simply plant an apple seed and walk away, hoping to return in ten years and have a great crop of apples; neither can we say, “I believe in Jesus Christ,” and then return to our everyday lives unchanged, hoping to reap the reward of the Kingdom of God.
Jesus said our faith could be compared to a mustard seed. He used a mustard seed, because it is so small one can hardly see it; it is tiny. The nature of a seed is that, if properly treated, it will grow, and grow, literally a million times larger. We must plant and water and fertilize a seed, however, and we must also “water” the seed of faith planted within us. Christ is the water of life, and our sunshine is the Word of God we get from reading the Bible. We must worship, pray, and become obedient to God; these are our fertilizer, that will grow our faith into a mighty tree.
Lord, I pray that my faith may increase every day. Amen.
For Faith
Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my mind. Give me a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity, that I may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will.
Amen.
~Francis of Assisi (1214).
To Know God’s Word
Heavenly Lord, I pray to be able to read the Bible and learn your truth. Give me the spirit of understanding and wisdom, for you know how difficult it can be sometimes. Let me understand and absorb the words in your Bible, dear God, and let me see beyond the words on the page and know your true and full Word, Jesus Christ.
Let me not be impatient; let my vision not be distorted by my bias, or my preconceptions, or my foolishness, or the foolishness of the world around me. Give me the courage to change my mind when that is necessary. Let me know you as you intend for me to know you, I pray, O God; let me find my way to you, for I crave to know you and be with you, now and for all of my life,
Amen.
Meditation
“Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.”
~ Augustine of Hippo
Prayer in time of Coronavirus
God of healing and hope, in Jesus you meet us in our places of pain and fear.
Look with mercy on those who have contracted the new virus,
on any who are vulnerable, and on all who feel in danger.
Through this time of global concern,
by your Holy Spirit bring out the best not the worst in us.
Make us more aware of our interdependence on each other,
and of the strength that comes from being one body in you.
Through Christ our wounded healer.
Amen.
~ The Revd Sam Wells, St Martins in the Field, London
