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MEDITATION:

Written by William Barclay (1907-1978), a Scottish author, radio and television presenter, minister, and professor of Divinity and Biblical Criticism at the University of Glasglow. This is an excerpt from his book “The Mind of Jesus.”

Paul Tournier, the great Christian doctor, declares that life, in order to be life, must necessarily be dialogue. No one can find life in any real sense of the term in isolation. He must find it in contact, in dialogue, with others. The supreme dialogue of life is the dialogue with God. Paul Tournier writes: “Jesus Christ is the dialogue re-established. He is God coming to us because we cannot go to Him.” Jesus came with the good news that God is not a God who hides himself, that God is not a God whom only the philosophers may know, that God is the God who at all costs desires to be known, and who in the most costly way has revealed himself to all.

PRAYER:

Written by Michael Perry (1942-1996), a British clergyman and hymn writer. This is adapted from Psalm 138.

God our Father,

we thank you with all our heart

and sing to you our songs and hymns;

we bow before you in worship, and praise you,

because you have loved us and shown yourself faithful;

with all our heart:

Lord God, we thank you.

Your word is mighty like your name,

and when we call to you, you answer our prayer

and give us the strength we need;

with all our heart:

Lord God, we thank you.

Though you are very high,

you care for the lowly,

and the proud cannot hide from you;

when we are surrounded by troubles

you keep us safe;

with all our heart:

Lord God, we thank you.

Father, your love is eternal:

complete in us the work you have begun;

through Jesus our redeemer.  Amen.