Preparing our hearts, minds, and souls to hear and reflect upon the Word of God.
Prayer of focus
Gracious Lord God, You alone are God, there is no other. You reveal yourself when we live our lives in accordance with Your commandments: leading lives when we do not endanger our neighbor’s life, leading a chaste and pure life loving and honoring our spouse, and leading an honorable life by not seeking our neighbor’s possessions by theft, dishonest trade, or dealing in shoddy wares, but helping our neighbors to improve and protect their income and property. In Jesus name. Amen
Readings:
Reflection
What a week it has been since last Sunday. Time to take a breath and take a step back and refocus ourselves and remember that God is with us wherever we may go.
In Deuteronomy 5, Moses reminds the Israelites of God’s promise in the Ten Commandments. This is in preparation for entering the promised land with Joshua as their leader. It is also a reminder to us that as the Israelites were not forgotten, we are not forgotten. For God has promised to be with us wherever we go through the Ten Commandments and in Jesus Christ.
God gives Joshua his command to lead the people of Israel out of the wilderness into the new wilderness of the promised land. He tells Joshua and the people: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go,” (Joshua 1:9). This is the message we have for this Sunday as we take time out to worship our Lord who has not forgotten us in Jesus Christ. John reminds us of God’s promise in chapter 3:16 of his gospel account: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
With this in mind we have journeyed in the month of March as a people of God from beginning Lent in a normal fashion with Ash Wednesday the end of February to Lenten Small groups to beginning a Lenten sermon series on the Ten Commandments as presented in Deuteronomy 5 and worshiping together to a recorded service last week to a video conference call service from our homes as the COVID-19 virus has created a new normal. A new normal that calls us “Back to the Basics.” The basics of living life one-on-one with one another.
Our commandments for reflection this week include prohibitions against murder, adultery, and stealing. Commandments challenging our living one-on-one. Please read our scriptures for today and reflect upon the basics of living together in the new normal. When you reflect upon murder, adultery, and stealing take a look at Matthew 5:21-48 in our new normal has God’s command for living together changed?
See you online on Sunday. God bless!