Wednesday, December 23, 2020
God restores us
An excerpt from 1 Samuel 2:1-10 (From The Message)
He puts poor people on their feet again; he rekindles burned-out lives with fresh hope, restoring dignity and respect to their lives – a place in the sun!”
Reflection from Shelley Byrnes:
I love that God always sides with the downtrodden and the disenfranchised. It reminds me that, right now, I am God’s hands and feet on this earth. His purpose is my purpose. It is important that I help to rekindle burned-out lives with fresh hope and restore dignity and respect.
For further study and prayer, the readings assigned for today are:
Luke 1:46b-55; 1 Samuel 2:1-10; Mark 11:1-11
Music
“The Lark Ascending”
Single movement work for violin solo and symphony written by Ralph Vaughan Williams, inspired by an excerpt from a George Meredith poem. Although this work has no text, the sound of the violin beautifully encapsulates the sunshine and hope that God restores to us.
(Excerpt from poem from which the piece was inspired)
“And ever winging up and up,
Our valley is his golden cup
And he the wine which overflows
to lift us with him as he goes.”