Trinity 11
Collect
O God, you demonstrate your almighty power most clearly in showing mercy and pity: Mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace, that we, seeking to obey your commandments, may receive your gracious promises, and be allowed to share your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Ephesians 4: 25-5:2
John 6: 35, 41-51
How to win Olympic Gold:
Eat. Be aware of your food, where it comes from, what it contains. Optimise your diet. Eat noting that doesn’t help your fitness.
Train. Realise the unique gifts you have been given and aim to develop them through understanding how to grow and refine those gifts.
Practice. Even though we often hear the phrase ‘Practice makes perfect, it doesn’t. Only perfect practice makes perfect. Have a schedule, have a purpose and a target. It may demand sacrifices, it will undoubtedly hurt. Rise above the barriers and focus on the finish line.
Act. Unless the above is applied in the critical moments when it matters, it will have been a waste of time. Be ready always for the sound of the starting pistol.
Recover. Sometimes you will win the race, many times you will not. When you fail, pick yourself up, dust yourself down, and start all over again.
How to win the Gold medal for being the special. unique person God created:
Eat. I am the bread of life, says Jesus. Unless you eat of this bread, you shall not have life within you. John 6:35
Train. Read your Bible and use commentaries to assist understanding. Listen to teachers and others who have gone before. Pray. 2 Timothy 3:16
Practice. Exercise a spiritual discipline, and try to identify God’s call and seek the Spirit’s guidance. Matthew 7:7
Act. Serve. Put your words into action. James 1:22-25
Recover. Take your failures and your sins to the foot of the Cross – and leave them there! Matthew 11:28-29
An athlete’s prayer
God, let me play well but fairly.
Help me to learn something that matters
once the game is over.
Let competition make me strong but never hostile.
Always let me help my opponent up.
Never catch me rejoicing in the adversity of others.
If I know victory, allow me to be happy; if I am denied, keep me from envy.
Remind me that sports are just games.
If through my behaviour I set an example,
let it be a good one.
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Throughout the centuries, God offers a gift being able to choose life and starting again, but when continually refused, He shakes the dust off His sandals and moves on. Could you blame Him, then, if He turns Hs blessing to the poor?
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The reward for accepting Him is the joy of knowing freedom, and then to accept His command to work in the vineyard, to feed His lambs – not with empty words, but with deeds.
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Heavenly Father, help us to work to accomplish your will for us according to our individual gifts without comparing ourselves to others. Help us to acknowledge our own failures and avoid condemning others for theirs.
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And when it comes down to it, I will always need forgiveness – as do we all. For all of us have sinned and fallen short.
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Yes of course we have a responsibility to address sin – but before we criticise others, we need to start with ourselves.
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‘Those who want to save their life will lose it’, said Jesus, but though people hear Him, they don’t actually listen.
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In the end, it is Peter, once again, who takes the step that faith demands. Thousands since that day have proclaimed the same. And so do I.
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As are we all, whoever we may be – Jew, Greek, slave, free, man, woman. One in Jesus, the Christ. That’s the important bit.
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Once in a while, we might close our earthly eyes and leap over the side. There is nothing that Jesus asks us that we can’t achieve.