Safe in the Love of God
- davidwperk
- Apr 10
- 7 min read
Devotional Reflection, Thursday, April 10, 202
The week of the fifth Sunday in Lent
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th,.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading in John’s Gospel:
27My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. 30The Father and I are one.’
(You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 956)
AM Psalm 131, 132, [133]; PM Psalm 140, 142
Jer. 26:1-16; Rom. 11:1-12; John 10:19-42
Today we celebrate the Feast of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. (See below.)
David's Reflections
Think of the image of an infant in the arms of a mother. How tenaciously would that mother cling to that child while running from a burning house? Would that mother shield her infant from small-arms fire or from a bomb burst with her body? Of course. In Jesus of Nazareth, God has mothered us in a similar way. The Good Shepherd has lain down his life for the sheep.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus refers to himself as that Good Shepherd who gives life to his sheep and who knows us by name. He guides us by his voice, as a Palestinian shepherd would call his sheep by name and walk before them. We are graced with a personal relationship with God and with Jesus that Jesus himself likened to friendship. (John 15, "Greater love has no one than this that one would lay down his life for his friends.")
But, Jesus says more than that. He gives us eternal life, which put simply is God's own rich full life, the life that brimmed in Jesus. We are filled with that full, rich life of God. And, that relationship will be inviolate, indissoluble. Nothing can sever the bond of life Jesus forges with us. Nothing can make God love us less. Nothing can make God love us more.
As he puts it, "No one will snatch them out of my hand." If the wolf comes, the shepherd protects the sheep. No matter what the wolves may be, our own inner evil, the forces of darkness, misunderstanding, doubt, resistance, death, or anything else, the Good Shepherd guards us and protects us. And, as if that is not enough, "No one will snatch them out of my Father's hand.” We are double bonded, held by both the Father and the Son.
Paul knew something of the struggle his communities faced with the assurance of God’s love. He responds to those anxieties about whether divine grace is certain with verses like these in Romans 8. 14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, ‘Abba!* Father!’ 16it is that very Spirit bearing witness* with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Does Jesus want us to live with the assurance that he loves us and that we will never succeed in wandering far enough away that he will lose us? Think of the most profound love you've ever received. Whether that person is parent, spouse, child, friend, do you doubt their love? Does being loved by them depend on your continuing to do the right things for them? Of course not. You are loved simply because of who you are. That's akin to the way God loves us. No loving friend or parent or spouse or child would keep you in suspense about whether you really are loved. (If the answer was "yes," then that relationship is not marked by accepting love. Or, you may be struggling with believing that you indeed are lovable.)
Can you resonate with this image of God’s gracious love from poet Denise Levertov?
The Avowal
As swimmers dare
to lie face to the sky
and water bears them,
as hawks rest upon air
and air sustains them,
so would I learn to attain
freefall, and float
into Creator Spirit’s deep embrace,
knowing no effort earns
that all-surrounding grace.+
+Denise Levertov, Collected Poems. Ed. Paul A. Lacey & Ann Dewey. Intro., Eavan
Boland. (New York: New Directions, 2013), p. 728.
Collect of the Day, the Fifth Sunday in Lent
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 219)
Thursday in the Fifth Week of Lent
O God, you have called us to be your children, and have promised that those who suffer with Christ will be heirs with him of your glory: Arm us with such trust in him that we may ask no rest from his demands and have no fear in his service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Weekday Eucharist Propers, p. 43)
Today we celebrate the Feast of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Jesuit priest, scientist, military chaplain (died 10 Apr 1955 CE).
Collect of the Feast of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Eternal God, the whole cosmos sings of your glory, from the dividing of a single cell to the vast expanse of interstellar space: We bless you for your theologian and scientist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who perceived the divine in the evolving creation. Enable us to become faithful stewards of your divine works and heirs of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ, the firstborn of all creation, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen
A Collect for Guidance
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Of the Holy Eucharist (Especially suitable for Thursdays)
God our Father, whose Son our Lord Jesus Christ in a wonderful Sacrament has left us a memorial of his passion: Grant us so to venerate the sacred mysteries of his Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within ourselves the fruit
of his redemption; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 252)
In the Order of Worship for Evening
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, creator of the changes of day and night, giving rest to the weary, renewing the strength of those who are spent, bestowing upon us occasions of song in the evening. As you have protected us in the day that is past, so be with us in the coming night; keep us from every sin, every evil, and every fear; for you are our light and salvation, and the strength of our life. To you be glory for endless ages. Amen. (BCP, 113)
A Collect for Mission
O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 124)
Daily Office Gospel, John 10:19-42
19 Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20Many of them were saying, ‘He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?’ 21Others were saying, ‘These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’
22 At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’ 25Jesus answered, ‘I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; 26but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. 30The Father and I are one.’ 31The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus replied, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?’ 33The Jews answered, ‘It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.’ 34Jesus answered, ‘Is it not written in your law, “I said, you are gods”? 35If those to whom the word of God came were called “gods” —and the scripture cannot be annulled— 36can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, “I am God’s Son”? 37If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. 38But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’
39 Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands. 40He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. 41Many came to him, and they were saying, ‘John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.’ 42And many believed in him there.
Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer
Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer
Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer
Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer
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