Daily Reading: 12 May

(from www.christianaid.org.uk)

Creation day 4

Something to read

And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

- Genesis 1: 14-19.

Reflect

It is such a joy to marvel at the stars. There is a poem written in memory of Oscar Romero, aptly titled Prophets of a Future Not Our Own, which begins: ‘It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.’

We can take a long view when we look with wonder on the gift of creation. This was the role of the Old Testament prophets, and we too must raise our prophetic voices as they did. ‘The Lord who gives the sun for light by day... and the stars for light by night... the Lord of hosts is his name.’ Jeremiah 31:35

Global heating threatens to undo the last 50 years of progress in development, global health and poverty reduction. It could push more than 120 million people into poverty by 2030.1At this kairos moment, we remain hopeful. Let us reflect on the words of Martin Luther King, who said: ‘The arc of the moral universe bends towards justice.’

Respond

Why not go outside on a clear night and marvel at the stars or look at photographs of the night sky? Allow that bigger picture to enable you to raise your voice in this climate crisis.

Christian Aid’s faith partner in Kenya, ADSE, helps people raise their voices about the climate chaos and become climate change champions in their local communities. What climate action could you take? 

Something to pray

God who spoke stars into being, challenge, awaken and inspire us to raise our voices with the cry of the Earththe prophets throughout history and the prophets of today in our call for justice, climate justice for all. Amen.