Pastor Jesse McCain
Someone mentioned God’s covenant with Abraham the other day. I can’t help but think about it as we talk about blessings during the time of Thanksgiving.
“The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on the earth will be blessed through you. So Abram went, as the LORD had told him.” Genesis 12:1-4 (CSB)
As we gather together, appreciate what God has given and acknowledge his many blessings, may we also consider this thought which has been tied to God’s people since the beginning. We have been blessed not so that we may hoard for ourselves nor revel amongst one another but that we may be a blessing to others. As God has blessed us and graciously given us good gifts, may we ponder how we can bless others through our words, actions, and lifestyles. May we revel in our God’s work among his people and in his world. As God has revealed the nature and work of his son to us, may we share of what we have seen and heard. May we pray that God would be at work in the hearts of neighbors that they may know the fullness of God’s blessings in Jesus Christ:
“When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34 (CSB)
Below is a prayer which I have learned from some of our community partners here in Alexandria with Christ Church. May it challenge us and stir up within our hearts compassion for our community:
Lazarus Prayer
“God in whose love we are made,
When bread is before us, Remind us of the hungry.
When our key is in our door, Remind us of those who have no home.
When we enjoy the opportunities of money in our pockets, Remind us of those who only know poverty.
When the laughter of friendship fills our hearing, Remind us of those who know only loneliness.
When the love of our family keeps us safe, Remind us of those whose family was the place of their pain.
When we wonder what it is we can do, Remind us that you said: ‘Whenever you feed the hungry, clothes the naked, welcome the stranger, visit the prisoner, you do it to me.’
May prayer feed our actions and may our actions feed the world. Amen.”
Go in peace, Jesse
Someone mentioned God’s covenant with Abraham the other day. I can’t help but think about it as we talk about blessings during the time of Thanksgiving.
“The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on the earth will be blessed through you. So Abram went, as the LORD had told him.” Genesis 12:1-4 (CSB)
As we gather together, appreciate what God has given and acknowledge his many blessings, may we also consider this thought which has been tied to God’s people since the beginning. We have been blessed not so that we may hoard for ourselves nor revel amongst one another but that we may be a blessing to others. As God has blessed us and graciously given us good gifts, may we ponder how we can bless others through our words, actions, and lifestyles. May we revel in our God’s work among his people and in his world. As God has revealed the nature and work of his son to us, may we share of what we have seen and heard. May we pray that God would be at work in the hearts of neighbors that they may know the fullness of God’s blessings in Jesus Christ:
“When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34 (CSB)
Below is a prayer which I have learned from some of our community partners here in Alexandria with Christ Church. May it challenge us and stir up within our hearts compassion for our community:
Lazarus Prayer
“God in whose love we are made,
When bread is before us, Remind us of the hungry.
When our key is in our door, Remind us of those who have no home.
When we enjoy the opportunities of money in our pockets, Remind us of those who only know poverty.
When the laughter of friendship fills our hearing, Remind us of those who know only loneliness.
When the love of our family keeps us safe, Remind us of those whose family was the place of their pain.
When we wonder what it is we can do, Remind us that you said: ‘Whenever you feed the hungry, clothes the naked, welcome the stranger, visit the prisoner, you do it to me.’
May prayer feed our actions and may our actions feed the world. Amen.”
Go in peace, Jesse
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