Holy Innocents and St Columba Episcopal Churches

Day By Day: Second Day Of the Month

Day Two
Micah 4:3b.
Neither shall they learn war any more

Who's responsible for all the fright, the disaster, the loss, and the pain? Whom shall we blame? Someone made all this happen. Whoever that is must be searched out and found, be punished and made to suffer.

When disaster strikes, we naturally want to assign blame. Thousands of people have died, many thousands more have suffered. It is at such a time as this that we stop and listen to ancient words echoing down through the ages that say, "Now is not the time for retribution but forgiveness; not for hate, but for love."

The endless cycle of retribution, ever escalating, must stop and stop now. Let there be no more fighting. There must be peace, and if there is to be peace, it will begin with me.

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father, to whom be dominion and glory, now and forever. Amen.

Dear God, I give myself to thee this day, thine only, thine ever to be. Amen.

Forward Day By Day Online

While looking for something completely different, the webmistress stumbled upon an online edition of Day by Day, the popular and accessible prayer guide. The booklets are available for "takeaway" on the table on the right as you enter the sanctuary. There are two online versions; the one quoted below comes in a 30-day format, and both will be added to the links . There is a great deal of other useful information at the Forward Movement site as well.

Since today is February 1, it seems a good time to start at the beginning:

Day 1 Psalm 121:1. I will lift my eyes to the hills; from where is my help to come?

The Psalmist looked around at the dry, barren, bleak, forbidding hills of his native land, hills that supported no life and were the source of absolutely no hope or encouragement of any kind, and he asked, "From where is my help to come?"

Sooner or later, and right now is a time when the need is immediate, we realize that there is no source, none, for our help other than God.

Everything that begins ends. Disaster, desertion, failure, death; the loss of everything we know, everything we value or fear is absolutely inevitable. Nothing is forever. Only God is the source of our help and refuge.

My help comes from the Lord. So it is that today, in the midst of loss and desolation and unexpected disaster, we know from whence our help comes. Our help comes from the Lord.

O Lord, arise, help us;

And deliver us for thy Name's sake.

We humbly beseech thee, O God, mercifully to look upon our infirmities; and, for the glory of thy Name, grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy, and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living, to thy honor and glory; through our only Mediator and Advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.