Wednesday 1 May 2024

Today is Wednesday 1 May, in the 5th week of Eastertide.

The Porter’s Gate sing, ‘The Promise’. As you listen, take a moment to thank God for creation.

This gift you gave from the beginning
Warm light, dry land, blue water brimming
And more, from the earth there came a growing
From seed to bloom, all the while you were sowing
It was love, love given in the water
And peace, God's peace written in the letters
Of the earth, God's earth, given with a promise
Can we keep it
Can we keep it
And stars in the night to gaze on them kindly
Great light, cool moon, all aligned in the sky, see
From water came life and so from the land
To feed, not to fight, to stand hand in hand
It was love, love given in the water
And peace, God's peace, given in the sunshine
And the earth, God's earth, given with a promise
Can we keep it
Out from the silence I hear a voice, I follow it onwards
You whisper to me, I am reminded of every gift you gave
So, spirit lead me unto the waters, unto the earth you made
Teach me the secret to ever care for, to look after it
It was love, love given in the water
And peace, God's peace written in the letters
Of the earth, God's earth, given with a promise
Can we keep it
Can we keep it

Today’s reading is from the Book of Genesis.

Genesis 1:26-2:3

Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’

So God created humankind in his image,
 in the image of God he created them;
 male and female he created them.

God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.

Take a moment to let your imagination sweep over the passage we have just heard… was there a particular part of creation you would like to stay and reflect on?

God sees everything that God has made, including you and all the people you will meet or have met already today. God says of you all: “This is very good.” Stay with those words for a moment or two.

As you hear the passage again, what images of God’s creation pass before your mind’s eye?

What piece of work that you’re involved in at the moment could benefit from God’s helping hand? Talk to God about this now.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.