Monday 27th April

Here are Monday’s morning prayers and Bible meditations. They are designed to be read in 5 to 10 minutes.

The theme for this week’s readings is loving others.  Jesus teaches us to seek the good of others in our words and our actions. 

Opening Prayer: Heavenly King, Comforter, the Spirit of Truth,
present in all places and filling all things,
the treasury of blessings and Giver of life:
come and abide in me.

Lord’s Prayer: Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.

Amen

Text: ‘One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.’ (Mark 12:28-34)

Explanation:  Jesus was asked to summarise how God wants humanity to live. The answer, he says, can be summed up in two commands that follow on from one another. First, love God completely. Second, flowing from that love of God, love others as you love yourself.

The order of priority is important here. True love is only possible if we have experienced God’s love and learned to love him. Devotion to God, experiencing his love and forgiveness, begins to free us from the impulse towards selfishness and self-centredness that otherwise mars our actions and thoughts. Paradoxically, therefore, the first step towards genuinely loving others is to give ourselves to God, seek his will and experience his love for ourselves.

Questions: Take a moment and give thanks for all that Jesus has done for you over the last day. Then ask, 1. How are you doing at developing love for God? 2. What could you do to deepen that relationship? 3. What might this mean for your life?

Prayer: Father, thank you that you show love to us, accept us and change us. Thank you that we can experience your love and seek to love you. Help me so to love you that I am transformed and can love and serve others. Amen 

Prayer for the Day: Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace.
Help me in all things to rely upon Your holy will.
In every hour of the day reveal Your will to me.
Bless my dealings with all who surround me.
Teach me to treat all that come to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Your will governs all.
In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings.
In unforeseen events let me not forget that all things are under Your care.
Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others.
Give me strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring.
Direct my will, teach me to pray, pray Yourself in me. Amen.

Image Credit: Fadi Mikhail