Listen:
“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:14 NRSV)
Reflect:
Uniting – when I first saw the theme for this day, my heart went back to the 1970s when I first gave mine to Christ. Two choruses came to mind, the first, ‘We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord… and they’ll know we are Christians by our love’. During this time of worldwide crisis, I have observed unity and division.
A virus that has united people across nations in previously unimaginable ways. Suddenly, people were connecting after many years of absence. I have found fellowship with old friends across the miles and across screens. But I have also been concerned by the division this virus has highlighted. The poorest are most affected, the inner city areas, those who cannot socially distance, refugees in our city. And here I am, comfortably socially distanced, safe, protected by my social status. Do they know, do you know, I am a follower of Christ by my love? Some words from Eddie Askew, written at another time of crisis:
“A new problem always creates fear at the beginning, and we all feel the need to find something, someone, to hold responsible. But we need to get behind that to the heart of the suffering. Each generation has to learn its own compassion, find its own response to people in crisis” (Breaking the Rules, Meditations and Prayers by Eddie Askew 1992).
And so I pray and my heart sings this old chorus in response, “Bind us together Lord, bind us together with cords that cannot be broken.”
Prayer of response:
“Lord, when my heart is not loving the way You want me to love others, show me the way. When I am not showing Your heart of unity, guide me by Your Spirit. Open my eyes, my soul, my mind to seek and show your love to others that I might be united in You and with them in love. Help me put on Your love every day. Amen”
Submitted by Lis Ho
Lis is living in Lyon, France, with her teenage son. Her first Lifesprings retreat in 2010 was the spiritual refreshment she needed to start a new career in photography and she is now also a teacher of English as a foreign language. In a world of busyness, her ‘rhythm of life’ verse is ‘Be still and know that I am God’, Psalm 46:10.
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