{"id":21168,"date":"2023-08-24T06:15:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-24T05:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/urc\/urc-daily-devotion-thursday-24-august-2023"},"modified":"2023-08-24T06:15:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-24T05:15:00","slug":"urc-daily-devotion-thursday-24-august-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/urc-daily-devotion-thursday-24-august-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"URC Daily Devotion Thursday, 24 August 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

inspiration in your inbox<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Thursday, 24 August 2023  Romans 13: 11 – 14<\/strong>
 <\/p>\n

Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.<\/p>\n

Reflection<\/strong><\/p>\n

Paul encourages the Romans to \u2018wake up\u2019 and \u2018put on their clothes.\u2019  For Paul ‘waking up\u2019 was to be ready for the day in which Christ would return to establish an earthly reign.  While our Roman brothers and sisters expected Jesus to return soon after his death, how do we live as \u2018woke\u2019 people 2000 years later?<\/p>\n

The tense of the verb used for \u2018waking up\u2019 is closer to \u2018being awakened.\u2019  Perhaps today we can interpret Romans as a reminder to us that Jesus has already awakened us to a new way of life, a way that is healing for us as his followers and for the world. Jesus\u2019 presence is made real, not in waiting for him to appear again, but in living as he has instructed.  Being awakened is an awareness of the needs of people and planet, and responding to those needs in keeping with Jesus\u2019 teachings.  \u2018Wake up, people, see the needs next door and do something.  Don\u2019t wait any longer to make a change that is good for your neighbours or good for the planet.  The time is not tomorrow but now!\u2019<\/p>\n

After waking up, which kind of clothes do we wear?  Paul encourages us to be clothed with Christ.  Perhaps \u2018putting\u2019 on Jesus is the ability to keep close to us those qualities that Paul identifies when he writes about God\u2019s love\u2014patience, kindness, perseverance.  Or Jesus\u2019 clear vision to live in a manner that takes note of the needs of the \u2018other\u2019 and outcast, that brings healing to those who are hurt or lost.  Perhaps it doesn\u2019t really matter what kind of clothes we choose\u2014a hoodie or a suit, a dress or jeans\u2014what matters is that we keep those qualities of love for our neighbour as close as the clothes we wear daily.  These qualities never go out of fashion or are outgrown.  Love and compassion are always in fashion.<\/p>\n

Prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n

Living Lord, wake us up to your presence.  
Clothe us in your love.  
Rather than waiting for you to return, 
help us be people who share your love, 
seek your justice, 
and bring your healing 
to the life of the world today.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

Today’s writer<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Rev\u2019d Martha McInnes, Minister, Cardiff and Penarth <\/span><\/h4>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright \u00a9 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

inspiration in your inbox Thursday, 24 August 2023  Romans 13: 11 – 14  Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “URC Daily Devotion Thursday, 24 August 2023”<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21168","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21168"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21168\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}