Daily Reading: 3 November

(from www.christianaid.org.uk)

God's Word.

Something to read

As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

- Ephesians 6:15-17 New Revised Standard Version.

Something to think about

The prophet Isaiah declared ‘How beautiful are the feet of the one who brings good news'. With our feet, however smelly or calloused, we travel.

As we travel we are to be bringers of good news, bringers of God’s peace. We tend to focus on the words that we say as how we communicate good news, but here it is how we travel, what steps we take, where we go that is important.

Wherever we step, we are to carry the news of God’s peace.

But words do matter as well. As many have pointed out, the only ‘offensive’ weapon in the armour of God here is described as the sword. This is the Spirit’s sword and is the word of God.

At the beginning of John’s revelation Jesus is seen as having a double-edged sword coming from his mouth. Jesus, the living word, speaks the word of God to his world.

So we need to be people who go to places bringing God’s peace. We need, too, to be people who speak out God’s word, knowing it is powerful, to bring about God’s purpose in people’s lives.

Something to do

Take time to think about where you walk or go today, and the words you say. In both, bring God’s peace.

Something to pray

Help me Lord to bring your peace wherever I go. Help me to speak your truth in every situation. Amen.

Pray for justice to be done for all of creation at the Talking Climate Justice Tour.

Today’s contributor is the Rt Rev Paul Butler, who at the time of writing is the Bishop of Durham, he previously served as the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham.