From the Pastor Archives - Page 72 of 105 - First United Methodist Church of Galax

Sunday Reflection (October 25, 2020)

October 27, 2020/in From the Pastor/by Diane Palumbo

Jesus links Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18 to form the “Great Commandment” in Matthew 22:24-40: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself.” Love in this sense is loyalty to God and faithful actions toward our neighbor. We still struggle with it. For example, we may have empathy for suffering people in other nations from a distance, yet if they immigrate to our country and become our neighbor, we can become quite intolerant of them.

Jesus practiced the love of God by not saying: “Hey, I love God!” Rather, Jesus practiced the love of God by his humble, loving treatment of others, and pointing out the mistreatment of others. May we, his followers, do the same. May the Great Commandment to love God and neighbor direct and orient lover lives as we reflect upon and practice the love of God.

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Daily Devotion October 22, 2020

October 22, 2020/in From the Pastor/by Diane Palumbo

Daily Devotion October 21, 2020

October 21, 2020/in From the Pastor/by Diane Palumbo

Daily Devotion October 20, 2020

October 20, 2020/in From the Pastor/by Diane Palumbo

Sunday Reflection (October 18, 2020)

October 19, 2020/in From the Pastor/by Diane Palumbo

We are created in God’s image and God’s inscription is upon each and every human being, yet how often do we fail to recognize that? We attempt to deface God’s Image when we say mean and ugly things about others when we look down upon someone when we deliberately and maliciously injure or harm another or a group of people. We all have been guilty of attempting to deface God’s Image and note that I said attempt. God notices when we attempt to deface God’s image and to do so is to stand against God.

St. Augustine said that we are like God’s coins that have wandered away from the treasury and what once was stamped upon us has been worn down by our wanderings. God’s image may be defaced but not obliterated. God seeks to renew God’s image within us and among us, that is, to freshen the imprint so to speak; therefore, there is great hope for us. Through the Holy Spirit, the divine image is renewed within us and among us unto the Image of Christ. The Holy Spirit transforms our lives and our outlooks according to the full image of humanity revealed in Jesus Christ.

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Prayer for the Week (October 18-October 24)

October 19, 2020/in From the Pastor/by Diane Palumbo

Let us pray to the Lord who bends close to hear our prayers: Lord our God, Father of all, you guard us under the shadow of your wings and search into the depths of our hearts. Remove the blindness that cannot know you and relieve the fear that would hide us from your sight. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

(Sunday Missal, alt)

Prayer for the Week (October 11-October 17)

October 12, 2020/in From the Pastor/by Diane Palumbo

Let us pray to our Father who is full of compassion: God, may your love revealed in Jesus Christ become the foundation of our lives. May our love for you express itself in our eagerness to do good for others. Grant this through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

(Canticanova)

Sunday Reflection (October 11, 2020)

October 12, 2020/in From the Pastor/by Diane Palumbo

When others cause you grief, do you intercede for them? Or do you wait for the opportune time to get back at them? How often do we lose focus on the big picture because we want to duke it out with our perceived enemies when given the chance?
Moses was a compassionate, humble person whose concerns were far larger than his own life (Exodus 32:1-11).

May we be like Moses (and Christ) who interceded for those who caused them grief. May we have an attitude and approach, so when given the chance, we use our available resources and power to be gentle and embody kindness and patience (Philippians 4:4-9). If you feel you have received a “raw deal,” allow the Holy Spirit to form gentleness within you and among us. Allow the Holy Spirit to form Christ within you and among us, so when given the chance to do bad to someone, do good instead!