Good morning.
Today is Thursday,
March 18th,
2021.
Oh Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to God,
The three in one,
Creator,
Redeemer,
And sustainer.
As it was in the beginning,
Is now and will be forever.
Amen.
Come let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord,
Our maker.
Remind yourself that you are in God's presence.
Notice how God may be speaking to you today.
Let yourself simply ponder any word or phrase that catches your attention or moves your heart.
And let your heart respond to God in prayer.
Please repeat these words.
Jesus,
You are the light of the world.
Open our eyes that we might see.
Our scripture reading today is John 10,
Verses one through 10.
The truth of the matter is,
Whoever doesn't enter the sheepfold through the gate,
But climbs in some other way as a thief and a robber.
The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep,
The one for whom the keeper opens the gate.
The sheep know the shepherd's voice.
The shepherd calls them by name and leads them out.
Having led them all out of the fold,
The shepherd walks in front of them and they follow because they recognize the shepherd's voice.
They simply won't follow strangers.
They'll flee from them because they won't recognize the voice of strangers.
Even though Jesus used this metaphor with them,
They didn't grasp what he was trying to tell them.
He therefore said to them again,
The truth of the matter is,
I am the sheep gate.
Whoever enters through me will be safe.
You'll go in and out and find pasture.
The thief comes only to steal,
Slaughter and destroy.
I came that you might have life and have it to the full.
Take a moment in your own prayer to picture this gift that is being offered to all of us.
Hear the words that Jesus spoke.
I came that you might have life and have it to the full.
In this space,
Believe those words that through Jesus,
God is offering you life,
Real life,
Full,
Abundant life.
Jesus said the thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy.
What is taking life from you right now?
How is your life being stolen and slaughtered and destroyed?
In this space,
And as you go on with your day today,
Hold that question up and offer your reflections to God,
Believing that God offers you life,
Abundant,
Eternal life.
And prayerfully consider how you can take hold of this life that Jesus is offering.
We pray in the name of Jesus who taught us to pray.
Our Father in heaven,
Eternal God,
Earth maker,
Pain bearer,
Life giver,
Source of all that is and all that shall be,
Not only Father,
But Mother of us all.
May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe.
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today,
Feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another,
Forgive us.
In times of temptation and test,
Strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure,
Spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil,
Free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
Now and forever.
Amen.
And now my friends,
May the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you wherever he may send you today.
May he guide you through the wilderness,
Protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
Go in peace.
