Create a peaceful space to pause, and allow yourself to feel God’s presence alongside you, as near to you as your own breath. In following the reflection below, as a church we will draw closer to God and to one another as we grow in faith and deepen our sense of belonging to God.
Hebrews 13:8 and Matthew 28:20
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Jesus said, “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Flora in St. Vincent
At the moment our world is changing around us every day – we don’t know what will happen next. Everyone’s routine has had to change. Our ways of helping friends and neighbours are no longer what we’re used to. Even relationships within families have to be expressed in different ways. None of us finds this easy. So how wonderful to read these words from Hebrews, ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.’
Change can be good and is sometimes necessary. But though we may change, though circumstances may change, Jesus doesn’t. He is always there for us, always concerned for us, we can always trust him. His love for each of us is constant.
Throughout the Bible we see God working through people. We see God saving the world through Noah. We see God blessing the nations through Abraham. We see God providing the Law through Moses. And then, later, we see God himself, in Jesus, dying on the cross for our sins so we might have redemption, forgiveness and eternal life.
Jesus is with us today because he said he would be with us always. To be with us always, means always … forever. Though the world changes, circumstances change, people change, and you and I change, Jesus never does. He is with us always.
All my hope on God is founded;
he doth still my trust renew.
Me through change and chance he guideth,
only good and only true.
God unknown,
he alone
calls my heart to be his own.
Robert Bridges (1844-1930)
In this time of turmoil, when we sometimes wonder how we will cope, Jesus is here alongside us, he is with us in the chaos and confusion. He suffers with us. We know his love for us will never grow less, he will hold us in his arms when no one else can. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. He is with us always. Those things will never change.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we thank you that we can reach out to you and know that you will always be there for each one of us, that you hold all your children in your love. We pray for those who are ill and frightened at this time, separated from their loved ones because of the coronavirus. We pray for those having to face grief alone. We hold up to you the doctors and nurses and all who put their lives on the line to care for the sick in this crisis. Show us, we pray, how to respond when others reach out to us, may we be there for them, as you are for us. This we ask in your name, AMEN.
Image, Reflection and Prayer © 2020 Ann Caffyn.
A printable version of this Daily Devotional can be downloaded from here
All material reproduced by permission under CCL 1226356