Husband got home just after supper from his trip into Winnipeg. Today he heads out to Winnipeg again. He says that the car could almost go on autopilot :)
Yesterday evening I had a Museum course on-line CHAT. This is a fascinating piece of technology. Here are ten people from all over the world, typing in questions and telling a bit about their Museums/Galleries. How neat. And we are each amazed with the differences in the Museums/Galleries. There are no world standards, but there are sort of country standards. The Professor has provided us with some great reading from Scotland, UK, Australia, and the USA. It was amazing to Chat on-line with everyone. We have one more assignment due tomorrow and one more Chat on Monday.
Chatting on-line with people all over the world is amazing but how much greater is our amazement with the whole universe coming to God in prayer... and there are no breakdowns :) How amazing!
Daily Retreat......
Prayer: Holy God, may the living heart of Jesus Christ take form within my own heart. May the living heart of Jesus Christ fill and calm and restore and bring new life into my journey. God of Life, may this new life flow peacefully with full healing power through my whole body. God of restoration, may the power of this new life flow into my actions and relationships this day. This I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Flora Slosson Wuellner, "Prayer, Stress, and Inner Wounds". Upper Room Books. Prayer of the Heart)
Read:
A blind and deaf man afflicted with demons is set before Jesus. Jesus heals the man and all the people were astonished. The people ask themselves if this could be the Son of David. But the Pharisees, ah yes, the Pharisees have set Jesus up and say to all who hear that Jesus is a prince of demons and that is how Jesus heals. What? Can you imagine the Pharisees saying these things just to convince the people that Jesus is not the Son of God? Yikes.
Jesus knows what is in the hearts of the Pharisees. The Pharisees have become cynical. Interesting when things are not going right in the Synagogue/Temple (or Church today!), our Spiritual leaders become cynical. Cynicism is a negative response to frustration and anger. Jesus responds to the Pharisees by saying “A judge who gives opposite verdicts on the same person cancels himself out; a family that’s in a constant squabble disintegrates; if Satan banishes Satan, is there any Satan left? If you’re slinging devil mud at me, calling me a devil kicking out devils, doesn’t that same mud stick to your own exorcists? BUT if it is by God’s power that I am sending the evil spirits packing, then God’s kingdom is here for sure.”
At this point don’t you wonder if the Pharisees wanted to run away… or hope the ground opened up so they could disappear. But Jesus was not done with them yet. Jesus continues on to say that there is nothing done or said that can not be forgiven. The Holy Spirit forgives but if the Pharisees (and us) reject the Holy Spirit, then we separate ourselves off from the love of God.
Today remember to laugh and forgive and know that anything we do can be forgiven. Hallelujah!
Prayer: Forgive us Lord for the times we have left Your work undone. Forgive us Lord for the times we have gotten discouraged. Forgive us Lord for the things we have left unsaid. We thank You that You forgive us and have given us renewed life in You. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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