Monday 8 July 2013

Monday - when bad stuff happens


Prayer:  Almighty God,  may we listen to Your voice this day so that we can live this day in joy and praise.  We thank You for what we already have in our life.  We lift up in prayer our family and  our friends.  Remind  us today to love You with all of our being.  Remind us through the reading and scripture and the praying of prayers that we remember each day to live in Your presence.  Amen.

 

Read St. Luke 21: 20 – 24

 

This portion of scripture is often known as The Fate of Jerusalem… or the Days of Vengeance.   Either title gives the reader a clue that this portion of scripture is icky.   In reading these words,  we know that something horrible happened or will happen.    Why would St Luke include horrible words in with the Good News of Jesus Christ?   Because such is reality.  Bad stuff happens.    If we ignore God and rely upon our own decisions and our own views and forget God,  we cut ourselves off from God.     When we cut ourselves off from God there is nothing but loneliness.  

 

Some people believe that God sends bad stuff to happen.  This is not true.    God is with us and loves us all of our lives.  God does not leave when bad stuff happens. When bad stuff happens this is not God reeking vengeance on us.  Nope.  Not at all.    God is continually with us.  So why do we frequently go through bad stuff and only seem to see God’s hand in our lives when the bad stuff is over?   That is because we only stop and open ourselves up to listen to God once bad stuff is over.

Jesus was instructing the disciples that bad stuff would happen.   It is a part of life.  Remember that God is always with us in all of our walks of life.    Christ was sent so that we are forgiven in anything that we do.   Hope and love abide even when sometimes all we can see is the bad stuff that is happening.   But remember that God is our hope and our strength during times of happiness and bad stuff and joy.

 
Prayer:   Great God,  we consider our life complete joy in You.   When the bad stuff happens in our life,  remind us to stop and look up and live in Your presence.  Amen.

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