Prayer: Lighten our darkness, we ask You O Lord. And by Your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this day. For the love of Your only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen. #601 Oxford Book of Prayer.
Read St. Luke 11: 33 – 36
Christianity uses a lot of imagery. Here in these verses, Jesus is telling the crowd about light. When we light a lamp, we don’t hid the light but put it in a place where the light can lighten up the dark areas. Jesus continues telling the crowd that we put lamps in places so that those who come in our homes may see the light.
Jesus says that our eyes are the lamp of our body. If we live wide-eyed in wonder and belief then our body fills up with the light of Christ. If we live in squinty-eyed greed and distrust, our body becomes a dark, dank cellar.
Christ calls us to keep our eyes wide open, to keep our lamps light, so we don’t get musty and murky. Christ calls us to keep our life as well light as the best lighted room in your house.
How do we keep our eyes wide open and our lamps light? Belief and gratitude in God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Daily gratitude to God through prayer, reading the Scriptures, Worship, meditation upon God’s word. Simple really. By praying daily (or hourly!), by reading God’s Holy Word, by worshipping God, by meditating upon God’s Word we grow as Christians. We become alive in the body of Christ.
The Christian life is a very simple life. God does not ask us to do anything. Through the Easter Story, we know that God has already forgiven us. Yet, out of our gratitude to God we strive to become the light to light up an often very dark world.
Over the last ten years, I’ve noticed that Ministers and Elders are frequently angry. They attend meetings and get frustrated with either the lack of enthusiasm or being told there isn’t enough money. Out of this frustration and anger comes cynicism and humour that isn’t funny. Frustrations continue to build until the Ministers and Elders are only looking at the financial side of Church or the meeting side of Church and are forgetting the simple side of Church. The simple side of Church is the love of Christ poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. Simple.
Today, pray for the leadership of our Churches. Pray that all Ministers and Elders will give to God their problems instead of letting the anger build up inside of them which leads to unhealthy lives. Pray that all Ministers and Elders remember to pray each and every day (hour! J) Pray that the light of Christ will shine in the hearts of all Ministers and Elders. Pray that all Ministers and Elders will keep their eyes wide open to the love of God!
Prayer: Divine Healer, be lay before You today all spiritual leaders—ministers and elders. Heal them from their physical infirmities. Heal them from their spiritual infirmities. Heal them from the emotional infirmities. Heal them from their mental infirmities. Provide to them Your healing, Your strength, Your wisdom, and Your love. Protect them with Your healing, Your strength, Your wisdom, and Your love so that they will continue to serve others with Your gladness and Your joy. But in all things, may Your will be done. May all ministers and elders know that this day, they are upheld in Your care through our prayers. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Alleluia!
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