fellowship

Jesus, medicine for our souls

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Healing of the Lepers at Capernaum, James Tissot, public domain
 
Oh Lord Jesus, you are full of mercy,
    and also the almighty in the world.
Every day with you is better than the day before.
I am aware of your presence inside, always,
    even though my condition is life this.
Only you can share in my sufferings.
Oh, I am convinced that whatever sorrow I feel,
    you certainly feel it too.
My fellowship with you is priceless.
What can we do without you, Jesus?
You never leave your people in trouble;
    our debt is so big.
If we look to the Savior who suffered,
    we receive medicine for our souls.
Amen.
 
a leprosy patient, Indonesia
 
__________________
 
 
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross,
    so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
    “by his wounds you have been healed.”

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from solitude to communion

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
 The Walk to Emmaus / Ilyas Basim Khuri Bazzi Rahib/ CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
 
Lord Jesus,
you alone can reveal to us
the riches of God’s solitude
in the communion of persons.
 
Alone in the desert
and alone in Gethsemane,
alone on your cross,
between men who were alone on theirs,
you assumed everyone’s solitude
within yourself
so that everyone might commune
with God.
 
O God of encounters,
may each of us 
in his desert
detect a sign of your presence.
With you,
may each of us be
for his brothers
a travelling companion
in the fellowship of the Father
and the Spirit.
 
Lord Jesus, 
by taking part
in your death and resurrection,
we pass from solitude to communion.
 
Pierre Talec, 1933- 2016, French priest and author
 
______________________
 
 
So they approached the village where they were going. 
He acted as though he wanted to go farther, but they urged him, 
“Stay with us, because it is getting toward evening and the day is almost done.” 
So he went in to stay with them.

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deliver those who have fallen into sin

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Photo by Wil Stewart on Unsplash
 
Deliver, O most merciful God,
  those little ones of thy flock who have fallen into sin.
Remember not their offences,
  but set them free from the snare of the enemy.
Prosper with the help of the Holy Spirit
  the endeavors of all who are seeking to train them for good.
Grant that following after humility
  and being made partakers of thy heavenly wisdom,
  they may be strengthened to the performance of thy will
  and may be restored to the perfect fellowship of thy saints;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Robert Leighton, 1611-1684, Scottish minister and scholar
2000 Years of Prayer

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Hebrews 3:12-13

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart 
    that turns away from the living God.  
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” 
    so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
 

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