THOUGHT FOR THE DAY ON RADIO OBAN FM
10 minute Service for Sunday 1st May 2011
Murdoch MacKenzie
Today is May Day celebrated in England with Maypole Dancing and around the world as Labour Day celebrating the human rights of ordinary workers. This May Day we find ourselves poised between a Royal Wedding and an Election Day when votes will be cast and decisions taken. In North Africa, West Asia and the Arab World insurrection is in the air as ordinary people seek democracy and human rights. So what can we say about all of this? What words from the Bible might speak to this situation?
Let’s listen to St Paul in his Letter to the Philippians chapter 4 beginning to read at verse 4.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all people know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.
And so as we complete our ballot papers for the election let us look for candidates and for policies which are true and honourable and just. Let us reflect on Scotland as a great nation, on those things in Scotland which are honourable, which are fair and just, which will lead to prosperity for all Jock Tamson’s bairns, and to peace and harmony with our immediate neighbours in Ireland, England and Wales as well as in Europe and across the world.
Let us give thanks for all the years through which God’s love has kept and guided, urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way. And let us pray for our land in this our generation that we may pursue those things which make for peace, not only in Scotland but throughout the whole wide earth, that each one of us may turn from our foolish ways to the wise ways of loving God and of loving our neighbours as we love ourselves.
Let us pray: Living God we thank you for the gift of each of our own lives, for our friends, our neighbours, our representatives in Parliament, our Queen and above all for Jesus Christ our Saviour in whom we see all the things which we most desire – love, joy and peace. On this May Day we confess that we are not always dancing with delight, that we are not always advocating the human rights of ordinary people, that we do not always pursue those things which make for peace. Forgive us O God and help us to turn from selfishness to selflessness, help us to vote not just for our own good but for the good of others. And in the words of the hymn which we are about to sing:
Lord for ourselves; and for our nation, in living power remake us-
self on the cross, and Christ upon the throne,
past put behind us, for the future take us:
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.
Amen.
A FINAL BLESSING
On our hearts and on our homes THE BLESSING OF GOD
On our voting and our politicians THE PEACE OF GOD
On our lives and our beliefs THE LOVE OF GOD
At our end and new beginning THE ARMS OF GOD TO WELCOME
US AND BRING US HOME.
AMEN.
Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
Urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
Sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided:
Lord for the years, we bring our thanks today.
Lord, for that word, the word of life which fires us,
Speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
Teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us:
Lord of the word, receive your people's praise.
Lord, for our land in this our generation,
Spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth and care:
For young and old, for commonwealth and nation,
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.
Lord, for our world where men disown and doubt you,
Loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain,
Hungry and helpless, lost indeed without you:
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.
Lord for ourselves; in living power remake us-
self on the cross, and Christ upon the throne,
past put behind us, for the future take us:
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.
10 minute Service for Sunday 1st May 2011
Murdoch MacKenzie
Today is May Day celebrated in England with Maypole Dancing and around the world as Labour Day celebrating the human rights of ordinary workers. This May Day we find ourselves poised between a Royal Wedding and an Election Day when votes will be cast and decisions taken. In North Africa, West Asia and the Arab World insurrection is in the air as ordinary people seek democracy and human rights. So what can we say about all of this? What words from the Bible might speak to this situation?
Let’s listen to St Paul in his Letter to the Philippians chapter 4 beginning to read at verse 4.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all people know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.
And so as we complete our ballot papers for the election let us look for candidates and for policies which are true and honourable and just. Let us reflect on Scotland as a great nation, on those things in Scotland which are honourable, which are fair and just, which will lead to prosperity for all Jock Tamson’s bairns, and to peace and harmony with our immediate neighbours in Ireland, England and Wales as well as in Europe and across the world.
Let us give thanks for all the years through which God’s love has kept and guided, urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way. And let us pray for our land in this our generation that we may pursue those things which make for peace, not only in Scotland but throughout the whole wide earth, that each one of us may turn from our foolish ways to the wise ways of loving God and of loving our neighbours as we love ourselves.
Let us pray: Living God we thank you for the gift of each of our own lives, for our friends, our neighbours, our representatives in Parliament, our Queen and above all for Jesus Christ our Saviour in whom we see all the things which we most desire – love, joy and peace. On this May Day we confess that we are not always dancing with delight, that we are not always advocating the human rights of ordinary people, that we do not always pursue those things which make for peace. Forgive us O God and help us to turn from selfishness to selflessness, help us to vote not just for our own good but for the good of others. And in the words of the hymn which we are about to sing:
Lord for ourselves; and for our nation, in living power remake us-
self on the cross, and Christ upon the throne,
past put behind us, for the future take us:
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.
Amen.
A FINAL BLESSING
On our hearts and on our homes THE BLESSING OF GOD
On our voting and our politicians THE PEACE OF GOD
On our lives and our beliefs THE LOVE OF GOD
At our end and new beginning THE ARMS OF GOD TO WELCOME
US AND BRING US HOME.
AMEN.
Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
Urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
Sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided:
Lord for the years, we bring our thanks today.
Lord, for that word, the word of life which fires us,
Speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
Teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us:
Lord of the word, receive your people's praise.
Lord, for our land in this our generation,
Spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth and care:
For young and old, for commonwealth and nation,
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.
Lord, for our world where men disown and doubt you,
Loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain,
Hungry and helpless, lost indeed without you:
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.
Lord for ourselves; in living power remake us-
self on the cross, and Christ upon the throne,
past put behind us, for the future take us:
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.
