Grant to your faithful people, merciful Lord, pardon and peace; that we may be cleansed from all our sins and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[1]
Whom may dwell with the Lord?
1 Peter 3:8-12 NRSV
Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. For “Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Repay With Blessing
Blessing [is] the calling down of God’s gracious power and love on all people, even on those who wish or do us harm. To behave like this is encouraged by knowing that Christians themselves will ultimately inherit God’s blessing. Christians are called to walk the way of blamelessness and uprightness, actively pursuing peace with all, just like the people of faith in the OT. They have the same motivation because God watches over and blesses such behaviour but sets himself against evildoers.[2]
Psalm 15 NRSV
O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?
Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the Lord; who stand by their oath even to their hurt; who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent.
Those who do these things shall never be moved.
Never Be Moved
Every true living member of the church, like the church itself, is built upon a rock, which the gates of hell cannot prevail against: He that doeth these things shall never be moved; shall not be moved forever, so the word is. The grace of God shall always be sufficient for him, to preserve him safe and blameless to the heavenly kingdom. Temptations shall not overcome him, troubles shall not overwhelm him, nothing shall rob him of his present peace nor his future bliss.
In singing this psalm we must teach and admonish ourselves, and one another, to answer the characters here given of the citizen of Zion, that we may never be moved from God’s tabernacle on earth, and may arrive, at last, at that holy hill where we shall be forever out of the reach of temptation and danger.[3]
“To Be A Christian” Anglican Catechism
Question #260
How did Jesus summarize God’s Law?
Jesus summarized God’s Law by saying: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)[4]
Heavenly Father, you made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you: Look upon the heartfelt desires of your humble servants, and stretch forth the strong hand of your Majesty to be our defense against our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.[5]
I Shall Not Be Moved
The Lord has shown forth his glory: O come, let us adore him.[6]
[1] Anglican Book of Common Prayer, 2019, p. 43.
[2] David H. Wheaton, “1 Peter,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 1378.
[3] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 762.
[4] To Be A Christian: An Anglican Catechism, Copyright © 2020 by The Anglican Church in North America, P. 92
[5] To Be a Christian: An Anglican Catechism, Copyright © 2020 by The Anglican Church in North America, P. 90
[6] Anglican Book of Common Prayer, 2019, p. 29.
Musings and Contemplations 
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