{"id":23233,"date":"2025-02-25T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/urc\/urc-daily-devotion-25-february-2025"},"modified":"2025-02-25T06:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T06:00:00","slug":"urc-daily-devotion-25-february-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/urc-daily-devotion-25-february-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"URC Daily Devotion 25 February 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

St Luke 14: 1 – 6<\/strong><\/p>\n

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, \u2018Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?\u2019  But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away. Then he said to them, \u2018If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a sabbath day?\u2019  And they could not reply to this.<\/p>\n

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

Sometimes, when you read a familiar Bible passage afresh, something different strikes you about it. For me that \u201csomething different\u201d was the first part of the first sentence: \u201cJesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal\u201d. A Pharisee offering hospitality to Jesus, and Jesus accepting! We often get the impression that Jesus had no time for the Pharisees, but obviously he interacted with them and dined with them too. No matter how much I tried to move past this and write a reflection based on the rules of the Sabbath, I found myself drawn back to this sentence. <\/p>\n

It reminded me of a conversation I was having recently about social media. I have various friends on my social media, not all of them of the same religious or political persuasion as I am. From Brexit and the American elections through gun reform to transgender people\u2019s involvement in gendered sporting events, some friends have some quite strong and differing views and don\u2019t hold back when sharing them on social media\u2026. so much so that I have often found myself hovering with my finger over the \u201cblock\u201d or \u201cunfriend\u201d button. But many on my social media have similar views to me. I can easily convince myself that I am right because \u201ceverybody thinks the same – it\u2019s a majority view\u201d. It\u2019s why Brexit came as such a surprise. The echo-chamber effect is unhealthy – it\u2019s decidedly healthier to form one\u2019s opinions through hearing all points of view openly and prayerfully, respecting people\u2019s right to think differently. And if I block, unfriend or avoid people who think differently to me, how can I share with them what I believe or model to them a different way? Through the hospitality of the Pharisees\u2019 leader, Jesus prompted them to question what they vehemently believed. Maybe I should do likewise.   <\/p>\n

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

All-knowing and all-loving God, 
there is room in your kingdom for all. 
Nobody has it all right, or all wrong for that matter. 
Help us to listen, to truly listen, even when we don\u2019t agree. 
Help us constantly to evaluate the opinions we hold. 
Lead us away from the echo-chambers and open us to challenge. 
And give us the confidence to share our beliefs with others, whenever the opportunity arises.
Amen. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

St Luke 14: 1 – 6 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, \u2018Is … <\/p>\n

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