Daily Prayers Friday, 11 February 2022
Good morning! In this season of light, we are now truly on the path to spring, with early sunshine and sunset delayed.
We begin with a prayer in praise of God our light.
Dear Lord, you bless us each day with new light, new experiences and fresh expectations. Thank you for your care through the night and the promise you renew with the dawn. May we live this day surrounded in your love. Give us grace to demonstrate that love to everyone we may encounter today. In the name of Christ, we pray.
Amen
We are continually bombarded with information. Even without a smart phone, the television, radio, newspapers, friends and neighbours all have ‘knowledge’ to pass on. Stories are presented forcefully with authority and claims to factual accuracy, but in the end we all have to decide what to believe, decide what is, for us, the truth. Does Russia intend war despite saying it doesn’t? Is it really safe to drop all safety measures which protect against Covid-19 when the announcer’s motives may be questioned? Does the truth stop being true if no one believes it?
The reading from Corinthians is one of those set for this Sunday and benefits from reading many times; or – should I say – I need to read it many times. Paul is facing the same problems of telling and believing that we understand. He treats the reader to a classic problem in logic – if this is so then that follows – concluding with a statement of contrary fact:
Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise, if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:12–20
Dear Lord, in this world made noisy with conflicting stories all claiming truth, give us wisdom and discernment to hear your voice and adopt your ways. Strengthen our faith that we may hold tight to your resurrection story for comfort and courage, for happiness and hope. May we live not as pitiable people but as those awake and alive in Christ, the first to rise again, in whose name we pray.
Amen
This resurrection hope leads us to pray for change in our communities, our country and our world:
Dear Lord, touch the leaders blinded by a thirst for status through conquest, driven by fear of loss to oppression or even genocide that they may leave off aggression and seek peace. Open the hands of the rich that they may invest in the lives of the poor. Give the comfort of resurrection hope to all we know who are suffering pain or grieving for loss. Bring our Cornerstone Community close to each other in our common purpose to live and love for you.
Amen
Now may God bless us all in our goings and comings today until we return home to enjoy restful sleep.
Cheryl Montgomery
