"Unless you repent, you too will all perish"
Monday musical meditations on God's good news
An opening prayer:
Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb,
And shall I fear to own his cause,
Or blush to speak his name?
Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?
Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?
Sure I must fight, if I would reign;
Increase my courage, Lord;
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by thy word.
Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die:
They see the triumph from afar,
And seize it with their eye.
When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all thy armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory: Be it thine. Amen.
Luke 13:1–9
- At that time, some people came and reported to him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
- 2 And he responded to them, "Do you think that these Galileans were more sinful than all the other Galileans because they suffered these things? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well.
- 4 "Or those eighteen that the tower in Siloam fell on and killed-- do you think they were more sinful than all the other people who live in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as well."
- 6 And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. 7 He told the vineyard worker, 'Listen, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it even waste the soil? '
- 8 "But he replied to him, 'Sir, leave it this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
- 9 "'Perhaps it will produce fruit next year, but if not, you can cut it down.'"
Good new questions
- Jesus calls everyone (but himself) to repentance. Why is that actually good news? And why is the Father's patience and willingness to be persuaded good news for you too?
For others pray
- That God spreads the good news of the kingdom of the Son he loves in Paraguay
J.S. Bach's beautiful music for today
- BWV 124 (YouTube, "I will not let go of my Jesus")
- This piece begins, "I will not forsake my Jesus, since he gave himself for me."
- Who else shall be my life, my all?
- The piece ends similarly: "Blessed is he who can thus say with me: I will not let go of my Jesus."
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