Christian Reflection and Prayer

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the
builders, which has become the Cornerstone. And there
is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name
under heaven given among men by which we must be
saved. - Acts 4:11-12

 

In the 1800s, Queen Victoria was crossing the English
Channel on her royal yacht.
During the course of the trip, her eye fell upon a tiny bird,
who with fluttering wings, tried to follow the ship.
Apparently, the bird had been attracted by the brightness
of the silk flag which floated at the masthead.

The queen turned to her daughter and pointed to the bird.
As they watched, they could see the bird was becoming
weak and weary, darting down to the waves, then climbing
back up, trying to find some place to rest. But as this bird
was a fragile creature used to the woods and not the
company of man, it refused to settle down on the ship.
With a faint cry it rose from the waves, soared up to the
masthead and, unsuccessfully, tried to rest upon the flag,
which had drawn it from the land -- away from safety,
shelter and home.

 

The heart of the queen was filled with pity and she
commanded her sailors to save the weary bird.
Wishing to please his Monarch every able-bodied man
jumped to do the job Victoria had entrusted to them. They
used every art and every device to capture that bird. Sadly,
all their efforts to rescue the bird only terrified it more.

At last it fell upon the deck at the feet of the queen.
Her majesty stooped and picked up the dead bird and held
it tenderly in her hands. Victoria, Queen over an empire
upon which the sun never set, had been absolutely
helpless in sparing the life of a single, small, scared bird.
Her good intentions had not been good enough; her power
had proven to be insufficient to the task.

 

I would like to point out that some things don't change.

In the worlds of politics, medicine, education and
philanthropy, there are many who, with good intentions,
are eager to try and save us. It is true, they are willing, but
it is equally true, they are not able. Most certainly, they
may assist you with simple problems and minor difficulties,
but they cannot correct or cure the great sickness of sin
that besets and condemns our souls.

 

Nobody can save us other than Jesus.
That is because Jesus alone
• has lived a perfect life so that our sinful imperfections might
be forgiven;
• has resisted every temptation so we might be found
innocent on Judgment Day;
• has conquered death and shown to this doubting world that
His sacrifice to save us has been accepted and is complete.

 

THE PRAYER:

 

Dear Lord, we give thanks for those people of the world who
do their best to make a positive impact. Bless them in their
service. Most of all, we pray that every sinful soul may see
only Jesus can save from condemnation and damnation. In
Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

 

(Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)