Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 27:Year 2
Morning, Psalm 78:1to39; Evening, Psalm 78:40 to72;
Joel 1:15-2:2(3-11); Revelation 19:1-10; Luke 14:25-35
“To you, O Lord, I cry. For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and flames have burned all the trees of the field. Even the wild animals cry to you because the watercourses are dried up, and fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.” (Joel 1:19 and 20)
At the time that I am reading this Daily office I empathize with my brothers and sisters on our west coast in past years. Terrible fires have driven people out of their homes and some have lost their lives, both residents and first responders. It is a very sad situation.
However, I remember the opening partition, “To you, O Lord, I cry.” It is bad enough that we have had a global pandemic to deal with. And, on top of that, people in Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington States had to also deal with finding shelter for people who were temporarily housed in close proximity with one another and yet, be thankful that their lives are spared. I ask your prayers for, and responses to, those who are still in desperate need.
Crying to the Lord is prayer that works. I believe “God’s ears hears tears.” God hears our prayers, and God will respond. And God responds in surprising ways. However, we must remember that God comes to us, through us. And, as revealed in the Joel reading, we must keep our non-human friends in thought, prayer and response as well. You may be God’s response to a squirrel or rabbit or even a wolf. I believe we humans were brought into being to care for, and maintain this fragile earth, our island home.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 