Category: daily devotions

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aristotle1-2xIt is so easy to be caught in the depths of despair. It may be that we have lost someone we love, been fired from a job, gotten a terrible diagnosis or many other things. When we are down in the “valley of the shadow of death” it is easy to lose our way. We can’t see any light at all. However, there is always light. God is with us even when we can’t see it. We can hold on and know that his love is conquering the darkness and there will be light we can see.

Loving God, you have promised to be with us no matter what. Help us to trust that you are holding the light for us and we will see. AMEN

 

So beautiful

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Have you stopped recently to look at God’s world? REALLY LOOKED? The world around us is so beautiful and so often we just float by without absorbing what we see. Just a simple thing like a blade of grass is beautiful. God created an amazing world. Take time to see it in all its glory.

beauty

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Personally, I am stuck with one foot in the past and one foot in the present.            Anthony Kiedis

magic

Too often we get stuck following the familiar path. It is so much easier than doing something new. We are not willing to reach outside of our comfort zone. God expects us to explore all of our options. What we are called to do may not be the thing we are doing now. We tend to think that we have no talents but God uses EVERYTHING. Don’t be afraid to try something new to serve God.

God of creation, you know everything about us. Help us to seek the thing you want us to do and not be afraid to try something new. AMEN

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harvestWe are told to tell God’s story to others. When we do that we don’t often see any result. We are human and we want results! we want to be able to point and say “I did that” or “I finished that.” When we are dealing with God’s work it doesn’t usually happen like that. Something that we did or said may influence the life of someone but we may never see the result. We just have to trust that if we plant the seed God will take care of it.

Creator God, help us to trust that you will take care of the seed that we plant. Encourage us to continue planting. AMEN

Speak out!

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Matthew5_9Today in church we celebrated All Saints Day. Today people who were in church in Texas lost their lives. This day we hear the beatitudes. Today we heard about the peacemakers. We need to be the peacemakers. The way that the world is today peacemakers are needed more than ever before. We must seek peace. We must speak out against violence. We must speak out about Christ and our faith. This is not the time to be a silent Christian.

Loving God, your earth is under attack. Grant us the courage to speak your word. Help us to not be afraid to speak God’s word. AMEN

Help!

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Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’            Martin Luther King, Jr.

To be Christian is to be willing to help. Each day we should ask the question: what am I doing? Is my idea of being Christian that I go to church? This is not enough. Each of us has a part to play in living out Christ’s call to us. Each of us can do something. I may be small and seem like a drop in the bucket but it may be just what someone needs. Follow Christ…do something!

help 3

Infinite God, remind us that are not Christians in isolation. Help us to see the needs of others and to help. AMEN

We are all God’s people

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The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion. Thomas Paine

In today’s world this is even more true then when Paine wrote it. The world is so much more connected. This presents the challenge of learning to understand other cultures and other ideas. In spite of the fact that we are exposed to so much more information we can still remain in our own bubble. It is important that we make an effort to put our prejudices aside and accept that we were all created by God.
masterpeice
Amazing God, remind us that we are to love others as ourselves. AMEN

Words can hurt

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Technology gives us power, but it does not and cannot tell us how to use that power. Thanks to technology, we can instantly communicate across the world, but it still doesn’t help us know what to say. Jonathan Sacks

wordsWe have so much ability to communicate with each other and the world. The question is are we careful with out words. As children we said “stick and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.” That is about as far from the truth as we can get. It has been evident that electronic bullies have caused suicides.

We must be careful with our words. Kindness should be part of who we are as Christians. Something said as gossip may not only be wrong but very hurtful. Think about your words before you say them.

Loving God, help us to speak only out of kindness. Remind us to be careful about repeating gossip. Let us be kind Christians. AMEN

Peace

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Make me a channel of your peace. Prayer of St Francis

Peace is so difficult to achieve. I don’t like conflict and have always been the family peacemaker. That doesn’t mean I succeed. Trying to make peace is a real challenge. God calls us to this task. We may not be able to bring about world peace but we can strive for peace wherever we are. Who knows. Things may change.

Matthew5_9Lord God, help us to be the peacemakers no matter how difficult it is. AMEN

Both at once

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Infinite, intimate God; this night you kneel before your friends and wash our feet.      Bound together in your love, trembling, we drink your cup and watch.                           From the New Zealand Prayer Book: Maundy Thursday prayer.

beautiful

This is one of my favorite prayers for several reasons. I want to talk about one. I don’t think before this I ever heard God called infinite and intimate. What a wonderful image. This is what many people would call an oxymoron (two things that don’t fit together). God is both with us in every moment and so infinite we cannot grasp it. How can this be? Yet He is God!

Infinite, intimate God, help us to see that you are all things and with you anything is possible. AMEN