Healing of body and soul

The sprinkled blood Here is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29   Read Leviticus 16:15—19 When I declare that Christ became sin for me,[1] I am seeing this ancient ritual — I would have said ‘primitive’ ritual — I am seeing the Day of Atonement brought to…

Healing of body and soul

The word of God Master, speak, your servant heareth, Waiting for your gracious word. Frances Ridley Havergal   Read Exodus 25:17—22 I wonder tonight if I am ready to meet with God in such a way that I allow God to speak to me. It is a holy place from which he speaks. I see…

Healing of body and soul

Your sins are forgiven Create in me a clean heart, O God, And put a new and right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10   Read Matthew 9:1—8 Two forces are in operation here, the forgiveness of sins and the healing of the man from paralysis. I must admit — this says something about me —…

The great commandment

Love perfected This is my commandment, That you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:12   Read 1 John 4:16—21 If not for Christ I would not know that love is written across everything. I would set off to live each day in a world that is such a mixture of beauty…

The great commandment

Love that needs faith to be itself Those who are generous are blessed, For they share their bread with the poor. Psalm 57:3   Read 2 Corinthians 8:10—15 I am unsure how far I want to follow down the path opened up by these verses because I live in a culture where ‘commercial confidentiality’ means…

The great commandment

Child of my parents He appointed a law in Israel, Which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children. Psalm 78:5   Read Ephesians 6:1—9 The command, says our writer, brings a promise. Yes, even in the broadest, most accepted terms, I would agree. My childhood was laden with promise. Everything fed into me, for…

The great commandment

A prayer for marriage This at last is bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh. Genesis 2:22   Read Ephesians 5:21—33 In the next few moments I am going to engage in prayer for a marriage, the one closest to me. That will be my own if I am married. Or of my…

The great commandment

A prayer for marriage This at last is bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh. Genesis 2:22   Read Ephesians 5:21—33 In the next few moments I am going to engage in prayer for a marriage, the one closest to me. That will be my own if I am married. Or of my…

The great commandment

From the beginning: love one another For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’ Psalm 122:8   Read 1 John 3:11—18 My first reaction to this reading is that its language is quite graphic. I would almost say over the top. Just because I don’t love someone, am…

The great commandment

As I have loved you How very good and pleasant it is When kindred live together in unity! Psalm 133:1   Read John 15:9—17 In the Christian life the grammar of relationships is love. The verb underlying all verbs is love. Whatever other verb I need to use to describe my actions, that must be…