Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?”]27 The expert answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.28 Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” Luke 10:25-28 NET
Lord our God,
I love that Jesus always answers the hard questions and the ones meant to trip him up – not with irritation but with compassion. He does not point out what they were trying to do even though he knew what was in their hearts. He did not seek to belittle them in public or private. He did not look to score points. He asks the expert his opinion and uses the opportunity to help the one asking discover the truth.
It looks like the religious expert had found a way to get eternal life by worshipping You and being good. Jesus says do this and You will live. But then I realised that Jesus knew the expert also knew no one can worship God perfectly, heart, mind, soul and strength. If we truly loved our neighbour as ourself the world would be a very different place! We all fail and fall short of the glory of God. We all need Your Spirit to help us, and Your mercy, through Jesus, to forgive us when we mess up.
Help us to worship You and do our best to live as good neighbours. Thank You that you accept our imperfect worship and forgive us as we do our best. Knowing that You always love and forgive us – as You are love (1 John 4:8). We should have plenty to spare and share!
In Jesus name we pray.
Lord our God,
We pray,
For all our family, friends and neighbours. For their many individual needs and hopes. Keep them from evil and open their eyes to good. For our ministers, pastors and all in our congregations.
For Bible translators and those who get Bibles into the hands of those who need them and have been praying for one of their own.
For our Government, King, Queen and their family.
For those in Iceland in the danger area and those evacuated.
For Gaza and the Middle East, Lord thank You for this ceasefire and pause, enable it to continue.
For Putin and Ukraine. For a beginning to the end of this war, conflict and bloodshed.
For all those who need to know they are loved with Your everlasting, unfailing love today.
For ourselves, thank You for a new day. Help us see today through Your eyes and how You love and forgive us.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Thursday 30th November 2023
Remember this hymn – a prayer to Jesus.
Jesus, good above all other,
gentle child of gentle mother,
in a stable born our brother,
give us grace to persevere.
Jesus, cradled in a manger,
for us facing every danger,
living as a homeless stranger,
make we thee our King most dear.
Jesus, for thy people dying,
risen Master, death defying,
Lord in heaven, thy grace supplying,
keep us to thy presence near.
Jesus, who our sorrows bearest,
all our thoughts and hopes thou sharest,
thou to us the truth declarest;
help us all thy truth to hear.
Lord, in all our doings guide us;
pride and hate shall ne’er divide us;
we’ll go on with thee beside us,
and with joy we’ll persevere.