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Showing posts from August 7, 2016

"Take Heart, Daughter" - A Communion Meditation

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A Communion Meditation Taken from Matthew 9.22 Early on in Matthew, the story is recounted where Jesus was walking through a crowd, and a woman who had some kind of hemorrhaging for 12 years – a woman who would have been considered and treated as impure and unfit to enter God’s worship, who would have been cut off from much of the fellowship and festal feasting of God’s people; a woman who would have felt like she dwelt “ in a dry and weary land where there is no water"  (Psalm 63.1) – alone, cut off, kicked out. She saw Jesus and secretly came up behind Jesus thinking, “ If I only touch his garment, I will be made well ” (Matthew 9.21). She touched his robe in faith, and immediately “ Jesus turned, and seeing her he said," ...He didn't say, "get away from me until you're clean enough!" Nor did he say, "Don't touch me until you have made yourself pure enough!" Instead,   “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly

"Give Thanks to the LORD" - 7 August 2016

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“Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 12.4-6). We have sung your praises, we have declared your great deeds, and now we give you thanks for your great favor poured out on us: for food, friends, family, health, homes, hope, vocations, voices and vitality. For we acknowledge that it is you who upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145.14-16). Supreme Sovereign who sits enthroned over all, we call upon you to move the nations of the world in such ways that peace may prevail, war be averted, the Gospel unhindered, and the Church un