Christian Reflection and Prayer

Rev. Joseph Lowery, pastor and civil rights veteran,
gave the benediction at the Inauguration,
calling Americans to pray for the nation and
President Obama.
God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,
thou who has brought us thus far along the way,
thou who has by thy might led us into the light,
keep us forever in the path, we pray, lest our feet
stray from the places, our God, where we met thee,
lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we
forget thee. Shadowed beneath thy hand may we
forever stand true to thee, O God, and true to our
native land.

We truly give thanks for the glorious experience
we’ve shared this day. We pray now, O Lord, for
your blessing upon thy servant, Barack Obama,
the 44th president of these United States, his
family and his administration. He has come to
this high office at a low moment in the national
and, indeed, the global fiscal climate. But because
we know you got the whole world in your hand,
we pray for not only our nation, but for the
community of nations. Our faith does not shrink,
though pressed by the flood of mortal ills.
—Rev. Joseph Lowery, January 20, 2009

Scripture:

"Because of the tender mercy of
our God". (Luke 1: 78)

Reflection:

You know its an odd thing about "mercy",
everyone wants mercy when he or she least
deserves it. And we most hesitate to give
it when another person asks for it.
In Luke chapter 1 mercy is mentioned 5
times. In this case, God is the One giving
mercy to those who don't deserve it.
What does this mercy consist of?
The gift of Jesus Christ to all sinners,
which includes you & me. Christ is an
incomparable gift of mercy. You will find
none equal in all the universe. God's
gift of mercy and Jesus Christ's act of mercy
to us, was His life, death, and resurrection.
Justice is receiving what you deserve,
Mercy is not receiving what you deserve.
Grace is receiving what you do not deserve.
ALL 3, JUSTICE, MERCY, AND GRACE,
COME TRUE FOR YOU AND ME, IN
JESUS CHRIST! (Luke 1: 68,69,77)
It seems to me giving others whats coming
to them, is natural, but treating others
with mercy they don't deserve, now that's
supernatural. The questions are: DO YOU
PASS ALONG CHRIST'S MERCY TO
OTHERS? DO YOU DO WHAT'S
NATURAL OR SUPERNATURAL?

Prayer:

Oh God, apart from Your Son Jesus Christ,
I stand helpless before You, deserving only
judgment. Thank you Oh God for offering
me forgiveness and mercy. Through the
strength and power of the Holy Spirit, May
I show mercy and kindness, to who may
only deserve Your anger. In the name of
Your merciful Son Jesus Christ AMEN!

“The Christian religion, then, is not an affair of
preaching, or prating, or ranting, but of taking
care of the bodies as well as the souls of people;
not an affair of belief and of faith and of professions,
but an affair of doing good, and especially to those
who are in want; not an affair of fire and brimstone,
but an affair of bacon and read, beer and a bed.”
William Cobbett quotes (Pseudonym Peter Porcupine,
English popular journalist, champion of traditional rural
England against the Industrial Revolution, 1763-1835)

“Faith makes a Christian. Life proves a Christian.
Trial confirms a Christian. Death crowns a Christian.”

Quote:
“The whole being of any Christian is faith and love.
Faith brings the man to God, love brings him to men.”
Martin Luther (1483-1546)