Faith Daily | 9 July 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p 558

O God,

you have prepared for those who love you

such good things as pass our understanding:

pour into our hearts such love toward you,

that, loving you above all things,

we may obtain your promises

which exceed all that we can desire;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

GOSPEL for the Day: Matthew 10: 24-33

24“A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! 26“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Michelle Chapman

Our family has gone through a very sad but joyful loss as my beloved sister’s spirit moved from her earthly presence to the peaceful arms of her Lord in Heaven. We, as a family, benefited from my sister’s daily faith as a framework of her earthly life. We, as a family, believe that every hair on my sister’s head was “numbered” and that my sister was “worth more than many sparrows” as God knows and cares about each one of us in our daily lives.

My sister was a child of God since she committed her life to Jesus in her early teenage years. She continually ‘acknowledged Jesus before others’, in her service via leadership roles as a volunteer overseas, as a Registered Nurse, in Know Your Bible groups and in her general life which I witnessed repeatedly in her final days.

Therefore we can proclaim with great thankfulness and knowing the loving kindness of our Father in Heaven means that Jesus has ‘acknowledged (my sister) before my Father in Heaven’. Hallelujah for the Grace of God as God will never condemn one of His own children and those who proclaim God’s message.

I pray for anyone who reads this message today and does not know Jesus as Lord and Saviour. On behalf of my sister, please give your life to God and His Son Jesus today, so your spirit will move from this earthly life to the loving, non-condemning arms of your Lord in Heaven.

FINAL PRAYER APBA from the Funeral service p733

God of all consolation,

in your unending love and mercy for us

you turn the darkness of death

into the dawn of new life.

Be our refuge and strength in sorrow.

As your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,

by dying for us conquered death,

and by rising again restored us to life,

so may we go forward in faith to meet him,

and after our life on earth

be united with our dear brothers and sisters in Christ

where every tear will be wiped away,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.