Spirit & Life

Love God. Love Others

Ps 19:7-14
The law of the Lord is perfect; it gives new strength.
The commands of the Lord are trustworthy,
    giving wisdom to those who lack it.
The laws of the Lord are right,
    and those who obey them are happy.
The commands of the Lord are just
    and give understanding to the mind.
Reverence for the Lord is good;
    it will continue forever.
The judgments of the Lord are just;
    they are always fair.
They are more desirable than the finest gold;
    they are sweeter than the purest honey.
They give knowledge to me, your servant;
    I am rewarded for obeying them.
None of us can see our own errors;
    deliver me, Lord, from hidden faults!
Keep me safe, also, from willful sins;
    don’t let them rule over me.
Then I shall be perfect and free from the evil of sin.
May my words and my meditations be acceptable to you,
    O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer!

Reflection

Love God. Love others. Not sure how? God offers expanded commandments to elucidate theological simplicity for practical application in everyday living. Our similar human frailties arise in these four readings that cover over 1000 years – from the time of Moses, King David, Jesus to the budding Christian community. Humanity is not great at seeing our errors, hidden faults, misinterpretations or even the deeper understanding arising in each generation. God calls us to live by the Great Commandments everyday (Love God. Love others). Jesus was not opposed to the Temple but to the interpretation of Law that allowed it to be used in that way. The psalm reminds us to be alert to God speaking through both Creation and Law, sometimes without words, always with deep wisdom. God’s Law offers inner strength, is trustworthy and available to all generations of humankind. Moses carried the weight of God’s commandments down to the people, to enrich the community understanding of how to actively live in the Way of God. Our understanding of God’s Law is enriched from humanities’ past and present, and will be in the future. As we grow in faith, so we understand more richly ‘Love God, Love Others’.

A Prayerful Meditation with Psalm 19

  • With a cuppa in hand, take a moment to sit outside or look out the window.
  • Breathe in the warming steam from the cuppa
  • Breathe out with a sigh of relaxation
  • Repeat twice
  • When ready…
  • Read with the echo of generations of faithful people this beautiful, timeless psalm
  • Sit for a while with no speech or words, save that of creation
  • Amen, amen, amen

Psalm 19:1-4, 6, 14
How clearly the sky reveals God’s glory!
How plainly it shows what God has done!
Each day announces it to the following day;
each night repeats it to the next.
No speech or words are used, no sound is heard;
yet their message goes out to all the world
and is heard to the ends of the earth.
God made a home in the sky for the sun;
It starts at one end of the sky and goes across to the other.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
May the words and my meditations be acceptable to you
O Lord, my refuge and my redeemer!

© Rev Anne Hewitt, 03/03/2021
this reflection & prayer may be shared as long as the original writer is credited.

Past Reflections and prayers can be found at churchestogethersa.org.au

Prayer

Warming Presence
Warming Presence In A Morning Cuppa

Slowing in the midst of busyness,
I take this time, O God,
to focus on the warming cuppa
and share in this moment with you.

I give thanks for the time with you,
O timeless One.
It is I who pack so much into my days
that I miss you, and long for you.
You are never far away.

I give thanks for the warmth of the cup,
O Warming Presence.
As I hold it,
I am reminded that you hold me always.
It is I who step apart from our space together. 

I give thanks for the sweet smell, rising in the steam,
O Breath of Life.
I too often forget the simple joy
of finding new life and sweet goodness,
in the simple act of breathing in freshness,
and breathing out all that has passed.

 

I give thanks for sipping the comforting fluid,
O Refreshing One.
Too often, I miss the precious life-giving nourishment
In my quest for better or best.
This is the best, as it is now, here, present,
in the sipping and savouring of the drink.

I give thanks for the life-giving energy,
O Vital One.
As simply as drinking from this cup,
You offer energising vitality when I most need it,
And it is there, to sip and savour every ‘mouthful’
At any moment in my day.

So, as I take time in this moment,
feeling warmth,
breathing in sweetness of life,
breathing out, letting go of all that weighs me down,
I cherish the refreshing nourishment you offer,
And savour the renewing vitality,
in this moment, in this cup,
with thanks, O gentle, humble Giver of Life,
ever present, ever there. Amen

Rev Anne Hewitt

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0475 016 789

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