13 October 2020 (St Edward the Confessor)

God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
From Romans 8: 26-30, NRSV

It is very hard for a monarch to be holy – especially one who lived in the world of the Anglo-Saxons in which Edward reigned. They were people of great power and ruled autocratically – they had no accountability to a parliament and only limited accountability to the nobles around them. For Edward to be recognised as a saint suggests that those around him saw something different – something special. He was known to be kind to the poor and a man of great prayer – someone who allowed God to search his heart and to teach him the will of God for the people.

• • Why is it hard for people with power to be holy?
  • What difference does it make to the people if their leaders are people of prayer and a real sense of accountability to God?

Pray today for those living with leaders who do not recognise an ultimate accountability to God. Pray that the leaders will recognise their need of God.