By Ken Asel
A Reading from Amos 9:11-15
11 On that day I will raise up
the booth of David that is fallen,
and repair its breaches,
and raise up its ruins,
and rebuild it as in the days of old;
12 in order that they may possess the remnant of Edom
and all the nations who are called by my name,
says the Lord who does this.
13 The time is surely coming, says the Lord,
when the one who ploughs shall overtake the one who reaps,
and the treader of grapes the one who sows the seed;
the mountains shall drip sweet wine,
and all the hills shall flow with it.
14 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel,
and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine,
and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.
15 I will plant them upon their land,
and they shall never again be plucked up
out of the land that I have given them,
says the Lord your God.
Meditation
When COVID came to the U.S., first there was bewilderment, then panic, then blame toward leaders in other countries, then finger-pointing at incompetent politicians of the other political party. Meanwhile, there were physicians, nurses, EMTs, police, hospital cooks, and just plain old people like you and me who simply wanted to help and care for those close to death. Day after these talented experts and ordinary folk spent hours caring for those who were frightened, comforting the sick, telling our children that somehow they should not be afraid. Churches and schools closed down, because no one knew what else to do. And some people prayed; a lot and some for the first time in a long time. Some were faithful pray-ers; others because they had not prayed in quite some time.
Now here’s a reminder:
There will always be naysayers, people who take advantage of the situation, and those who do more blaming than helping. But God can and will provide us ways to do what we’re called to do in troubling times. Re-read the prophet Amos for today. God has heard the Jewish people and their cries for help. The booth of David that has fallen has been raised up. That is what our God does, and that is what he did, and that is what God is asking us to experience once again.
There is a Celtic prayer of invitation to Holy Communion I often say as I welcome people to come forward to receive the Sacrament:
Come to this Table; you who have much faith and you who wish you had more. You who have been to this Table often, and you who have not been here for a long time. You who have tried to follow Jesus and you who have failed. Come, Come, it is Christ himself who invites us to meet him here.
And he still does! Let’s prepare to receive him today.
♱
(The Reverend) J. Kenneth Asel, D.Min. is a retired priest of the Diocese of Wyoming. Devvie and he have been married for thirty years and reside on the Front Range with their granddaughter.
To receive a TLC Daily Devotional in your inbox each morning, click here.
♱
Daily Devotional Cycle of Prayer
Today we pray for:
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Oklahoma City, Okla.
The Anglican Church of Canada
