Jesus is Lord
03/05/20
Prayer
Loving Father your name forever be praised. You alone God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are Holy and righteous. You are the creator and sustainer of all things and we rejoice in your relentless love for us. While we were still sinners you sent your son Jesus to be our perfect sacrifice so that nothing could stand between us and you. All glory be to your name.
Lord forgive us when we get in the way of your kingdom come. Forgive us when we are so busy making our own plans that we fail to see what you would have us do in your kingdom program. We pray for forgiveness when we are quick to judge others as unworthy of your love, and slow to realise that we too are unworthy by our own efforts. But through the unimaginable grace that you offer each one of us, you Lord have reconciled us back to yourself. The judgement of our sinful nature was dealt with on the cross, and you deemed the payment sufficient when your new age dawned with the risen Jesus. All praise and glory belong to you.
Thank you for the freedom that pours into our life when we realise that living is all about our relationship with you, and not about our comfort or being ‘good’. Teach us to have a God perspective, so we can give you the reverence and glory no matter what our situation. We know there are many people suffering during this time of testing, and we pray that all people will draw comfort from you God. You are a God of restoration not condemnation. We pray that your power may be known in finding the solution to the corona virus situation. Guide us as we seek to display your nature in helping those who are struggling with their current circumstances.
Thank you for the refreshing rain that will transform the countryside from dusty brown to living green. We are reminded that the power of your spirit transforms our life from hopelessness to holiness. Your blessings are poured out on the good and bad alike, just like the rain. What a joy it is when we recognise your Holy Spirit at work.
We pray for those working tirelessly to keep our communities functioning during this pandemic. Give our decision makers wisdom as they think through how to handle COVID19. Protect our health workers as they treat and care for all who are sick. Guide our teachers as they teach our children in very demanding circumstances. Comfort those who have lost jobs, and those whose businesses are struggling, and those who are lonely.
We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Tim Prior
Just a Thought
John 10:1-10 Sunday May 3rd
Lord. May this short overview of the words from John have some relevance for us today. Amen
A sheepdog was working with a farmer to get the sheep into the yard.
When he was finished, he said to the farmer, "That's all fifty sheep!"
Confused, the farmer said, "But I only have forty-eight sheep."
The sheepdog replied, "I know. I rounded them up!"
At the moment, we are lambing and it has many mixed emotions and challenges attached to it. The rain we have had has been an absolute blessing and as the lambs fall and the green grass appears, we are feeling hopeful for a good lambing season. We are also in the early days of training a new pup and as most of us know, this can be a real challenge. At the moment, Brian, our new dog, when not in the paddock with the sheep, just wants to round the two chooks up. My girls really don’t know what to make of Brian but he does show potential.
Watching the dogs moving the sheep and ‘encouraging’ them to go through the gate into another paddock or the yards, can be very exciting and rewarding. Sometimes though, things don’t always go to plan and a sheep or two (or more) will decide to change direction and turn away from the gate and head in a completely different direction. Extremely frustrating. But with the guidance and instruction of the farmer, (all be it a tad ‘colourful’ at times) the dog/s will eventually re-route the sheep and get them all back into the yard or paddock.
Before I go any further, I want to ask you, have you ever heard or read a piece of scripture and wondered, “What does this mean? How does this apply to my life?” Well, I have.
Let’s now look at today’s reading. ‘The Parable of the Shepherd’. “Jesus said, ‘I am telling you the truth; the man who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.’ Now because those listening did not fully understand what He meant He went on and I think that was a really good move for them and for us. “I am telling you the truth; I am the gate for the sheep………..Whoever comes in by me will be saved…….I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness.”
Now we have it. It’s a ‘light bulb’ moment.
Believe in Jesus, don’t get distracted and try to ‘jump the fence’, follow Jesus through the gate and you will live an abundant life.
Wonderful. But what ‘abundance’ will we have? Money, great popularity, power, control over others, success?
The abundant life is not about quantity, wealth, power, control, success, being number one or any of the things we may think it is.
No, the abundant life is touching and living the divine life. It’s a quality not a quantity. It’s about meaning, integrity, purpose, creativity, relationship, and wholeness. The abundant life adds to the life of others and the world. It’s life that leads to life, love that leads to love, joy that leads to joy, hope that leads to hope, kindness that leads to kindness, generosity that leads to generosity, beauty that leads to beauty, and gratitude that leads to gratitude. It does not add to the pain of the world but adds to and enhances life, our own as well as others.
Isn’t that what we really want? Isn’t that what we want for ourselves and for each other? I do? Don’t you?
We are all influenced by a myriad of things today. The internet, the tele, social media, governing leaders, mentors, gurus, false prophets, control freaks, sales people; we hear so many voices it’s easy to be misguided. It’s easy to think we are going in the right direction, that we can hear the One guiding us to the right gate but sometimes the distractions take us away from the right path, the right gate.
Are we listening to the right voice? The voice of wisdom, life, love, compassion, beauty, generosity, hope and joy. The voice of Jesus. The voice of a shepherd.
Which voices are the loudest in your life today? What voices have you invested in? Which voices are the loudest in your life today? Are they worthy of your trust and your life?
Sometimes, when the sheep are working with the farmer and they hear a different voice, a different call, they become distracted, confused and inevitably make mistakes. But when
they hear the farmer’s voice again, they correct the mistake and the sheep go through the gate safely.
So which voice do we need to listen to that will open the gate of our heart
that if or when we become distracted by the other voices, will bring us back to the right gate, leading us to abundant life?
The voice of Jesus.
Until we meet again.
Amen
Jennete Mickan