Friday 2 November 2012

Friday - living in Holiness

Prayer:    Help us,  Lord God Almighty,  to open our mouths and break forth into singing Your praises.    In Your abiding presence is our strength.  With You as our constant companion,  we can meet the trials and temptations of the day.   As we abide in Jesus,  You give to us the spiritual resources that we need to share Your message.   As we abide in Jesus,  we know that we are free from fear and have a quiet confidence within.   As we abide with Jesus,  we know that we are at One with You and we know that You give to us a peace that passes all understanding.    Amen.

Read  St. Luke  1: 67 – 80

As Zechariah’s  mouth is opened,  he breaks forth into song and begins to prophecy two messages.   The first message can be found in verses  68 – 75,   Zechariah praises God for the fulfilment of the coming Messiah.   God has come and has redeemed His people.   But most importantly,  God has rescued the Israelites so that they can serve God without fear ….in holiness and righteousness serving  God all the days of their lives.    Wow!  That is an incredible statement.
Can you say the same thing today?   Because of God’s mercy and love,  how will you serve God in holiness and righteousness this day?
 The second message of Zechariah’s  prophecy is in verses 76 – 80.   Zechariah praises God for the birth of John.  Then Zechariah shares with his relatives and neighbours that John will be the forerunner of the Messiah.    John’s  task is to “go before the Lord, to prepare the way for the Messiah—to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins….”   Wow.    Quite a calling isn’t it.   
What do you think the friends and relatives thought as they stood in the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth hearing these words from Zechariah’s mouth?
Are we also called as John,  to prepare the way for the Messiah and to give our friends and family and neighbours the knowledge of salvation?    

Prayer:   Holy God,  may we serve You this day without fear.  May we live in holiness and righteousness serving You all the days of our lives.   Continue to remind us that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength.    This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

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