Forward Movement is an official, non-profit agency of the Episcopal Church whose mission is to create compelling content for Christian living. Since 1935 we have published the quarterly devotional Forward Day by Day, as well as pamphlets, booklets, and books that encourage and nourish people in their lives of prayer and faith.
THURSDAY, June 10 (Ephrem of Edessa)
Matthew 16:13-20. Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.
"Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah." Has this passage maddened you, as it has me? If God reveals a truth, why tell no one? Is this not the direct opposite of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations"?
My own first flicker of understanding came with the reading of Psalm 51, a masterpiece of Hebrew parallelism, in which the poetry consists of saying the same truth twice: "Wash me through and through...and cleanse me from my sin." And, "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." Then, in verse 7: "For behold, you look for truth deep within me, and will make me understand wisdom secretly."
Aha! "Secretly" means "deep within me." I am no good as a messenger if my grasp of truth is superficial. Truth must reach and work upon my secret places before it is fully mine, before I have all of me to offer. The disciples must tell no one until their own fears and doubts and hesitancies are purified by Jesus' offering. Then they can go, filled with all power, into all the world. (1979)
PRAY for the Diocese of Dhaka (Bangladesh)
Ps [70], 71 * 74; Ecclesiastes 11:1-8; Galatians 5:16-24
View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.
A Meditation for Pentecost
New! Forward Day by Day is available on your Kindle or Nook!
Learn more about how you can support the Unapologetically Episcopalian Campaign to transform the church! Forward Movement stands ready -- and you can help. Don't forget to "like" Unapolgetically Episcopalian on Facebook.
Send Us Your Cat or Dog Photos!
Forward Movement is accepting photo submissions for EpiscoCats and EpiscoPups – our 15-month, wall-hanging calendars. If your pet is chosen, you’ll receive a photo credit and 5 complimentary copies of the calendar. Click here for submission guidelines!
Claim Your Free Gift Now! Simply subscribe to our e-news by using the form below. You will then be able to download our "Ten Ways to Pray" ebook!
Be sure to confirm your preferences and check your email after subscribing. The link to your free gift is found in your "Welcome" email.
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/hide comments
Show/hide comment form
When I rush to speak up, I often lack a full grasp of a situation or real compassion for another person's history and situation, or a sense of what faith in action would mean trying to do besides speak. And, when I hesitate to speak, fear of embarrassment or hesitation about backing up the words with costly action can hold me back.
So I appreciate the writer's move to include Psalm 51. I guess I could ask God to let me see what God sees inside me, and help me decide how to speak and act.