‘If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbour as yourself”, you are doing right.’ (James 2: 8)
Given all that we face today: How do we know we are doing the right thing? In our personal life and in our shared life, the challenge of doing the right thing is something that we continually face.
As we reflect upon this, we recognise that knowing “the right thing to do” is not always easy. Nevertheless, throughout Scripture there runs an ancient thread that links the original call to love our neighbour to the summary of the Law given by Jesus. (Leviticus 19: 18; Mark 12: 31)
The call to love our neighbour is described by James as the ‘royal law’ and is the surest guide we have as to knowing “the right thing to do”.
As we face the challenge of renewing our society and, at the same time, continuing to face the ongoing pandemic, the need of a sure guide remains constant.
The ‘royal law’ has been gifted to us by our Creator and renewed by the Lord Jesus Christ. We take it as our guide for these times.
We pray:
Living God,
In the times in which we live
You reveal Your way to us through the royal law.
We turn to You as our Creator
And ask for grace and strength
To live according to that law.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
In the times in which we live
You reveal Your way to us through the royal law.
We turn to those beside us as our neighbours
And ask for wisdom that we might do to others
As we would have them do to us.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
In the times in which we live
You reveal Your way to us through the royal law.
We turn to face the challenges of the day
And seek to renew our society
That it might better reflect Your Kingdom which is to come.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Living God,
In the times in which we live
You reveal Your way to us through the royal law.
We turn to the world before us
And seek to do right in Your eyes
That we might bring glory to You, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lord, in Your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
Signed by:
- Lord Wallace, Moderator of the General Assembly, Church of Scotland
- Most Rev. Leo Cushley, Archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Roman Catholic Church
- Most Rev. Mark Strange, Primus, on behalf of the College of Bishops, Scottish Episcopal Church
- Rev. Dr David Miller, Moderator, United Free Church of Scotland
- Rev. Neil MacMillan, Moderator, Free Church of Scotland
- Rev. Paul Whittle, Moderator, United Reformed Church (Scotland)
- Rev. Martin Hodson, General Director, Baptist Union of Scotland
- Rev. Mark Slaney, District Chair, Methodist Church (Scotland)
- Rev. Thomas R. Wilson, Chair, Congregational Federation in Scotland
- Lt. Col. Carol Bailey, Secretary for Scotland, Salvation Army
- Adwoa Bittle, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
- Rev. Ruth Turner, District Superintendent, British Isles North District, Church of the Nazarene
- Pastor Chris Gbenle, Provincial Pastor, Province of Scotland, Redeemed Christian Church of God
- Bishop Francis Alao, Church of God (Scotland)/Minority Ethnic Churches Together in Scotland (MECTIS)
- Rev Fred Drummond, Director, Evangelical Alliance (Scotland)