Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 29: Year 1
Morning, Psalm 119:145 to 176; Evening, Psalm 128, 129 and 130;
Obadiah 15 to 21; 1st Peter 2:1 to 10; Matthew 19:23 to 30:
“Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1st Peter 2:4 and 5)
I don’t agree with all of Peter’s thinking but the words from this passage I really like. We are living spiritual stones. Peter shows a difference between those of us who believe in God and God’s love as made manifest through our Lord Jesus, and those who don’t. The latter tend to lose sight of the sacredness of human life. As believers we are chosen and precious in God’s sight. It seems the more we reflect and ponder about the mystery and majesty of God, and being thankful for it, the more we are rejected by the ever-diminishing norms of our worldly, secular society.
Time spent in prayer and giving thanks to God for the fact that we exist, and the lives of those we love, will go up as spiritual sacrifices to God, and it makes us acceptable through our Savior Jesus Christ. Those of us who believe in the love of God and live a life of love, have so much to be thankful for. So also do those who don’t believe but don’t know it; they too should be thankful.
I am so sorry for the untimely deaths and lives taken through evil acts. My heart and prayers go out to the families and loved ones who are grieved by sinful acts. All of us have a responsibility to watch each other. There is no one out there who is not our business. The path to a holy priesthood for all believers is paved through accountability. This accountability is true for us and for our neighbors. We are, in fact, our brother’s and sister’s keeper. We must hold ourselves in prayer asking God for hints at how we can improve the way we live together, and then value life, all life.
Today we remember Isaac Watts, Hymnwriter (November 25, 1748) and his information may be found at: Isaac Watts.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: For Joy in God’s Creation (BCP p. 814)
O heavenly Father, who hast filled the world with beauty: Open our eyes to behold thy gracious hand in all thy works; that, rejoicing in thy whole creation, we may learn to serve thee with gladness; for the sake of him through whom all things were made, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
onewhoponders 