Daily Meditations
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.1 John 2:2
A quiet day. Jesus is in the tomb. It is all over. His body was taken down and wrapped for burial. On this day he is gone. Take time on Holy Saturday to pause and think about what sort of day it was for the disciples.
Prayer: “Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom.” Taize
Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair.
~G.K. Chesterton
We are told to love the Lord Our God with all our souls are all our hearts and all our minds. We are not told to prove that God exists. We are just told to love Him. Can we turn loose of all our trying to understand all of this and just love?
Prayer: God of love, help us learn to just love you with all that we are. Amen
Hope is some extraordinary spiritual grace that God gives us to control our fears, not to oust them. Vincent McNabb
I am one of the worst for worrying about things. I cross every bridge before I get to it. When something is really wrong fear can rule my world. We shouldn’t expect all our fears to disappear. This is the real world. But by leaning on God’s grace can I begin to hold fear in check and rely on hope.
Prayer: God, our father and mother, we turn to you as to a loving parent. Help us to remember that you love us and want only the best for us. Help us to bind up fear and put it away. Amen
Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.
I have always love this image. The idea of God choosing to create a world is…I can’t find a word wonderful enough. The Spirit of moving. Notice that in this version Spirit is capitalized. The Spirit is a facet of God. God is not one thing but many things. A God way beyond our understanding. Know that this is God. Infinite and unknowable until He chooses to become a man.
Peace may not be that place of calm that we expect. It may be managing in the midst of the storm. God’s peace can allow us to cope when we don’t think we can. Remember he was the one who calmed the water for his disciples. It may not be the water he calms for us but our minds and hearts.
Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling. ——Margaret Lee Runbeck
Our thinking about happiness seems out of sync. We look for happiness to bowl us over but it’s not like that. Happiness can live with us on our journey if we let it. Will I choose to see the good in things today? Will I thank God for my blessings acknowledging them myself? To me, this is the crux of the matter. Most of the time happiness is our choice. Sure, we do have bad times but my perspective colors my journey. Choose to be happy!
God of love, you have given us the chance to choose happiness. Help us to see it in our lives. AMEN
My husband, he refuses to worry or pray. He believes if you don’t have one you don’t need the other.–——————House TV program.
I can understand the part about not worrying. Christ reminds us about the lilies of the field and how they are cared for by God. I don’t agree with the not praying part. If we have no worries we should be busy thanking God for that blessing. If, in spite of knowing that we are cared for, we do worry then we should certainly pray. Prayer is critical. It is a connection with our creator. Pray without ceasing no matter what.
Gracious God, prayer is our time with you. Help us to pray without ceasing. AMEN
Do we really understand grace? Do we get that this gift is greater than any we have ever received or ever will. The fact that grace is a free gift of God does not remove us from responsibility. It is not a get out of jail free card. Grace carries with it the fact that God loves us so much that we are given this gift before we respond…..and respond we must. Living out the message of Christ and follow his word is our response.
Generous God, you are willing to give us the gift of grace without any promise on our part. Help us to respond with hearts full of love and willingness to be your hands and feet. AMEN
This has been a difficult time for me but God’s grace is always with us. What a wonderful verse to understand that God understands our weaknesses and continues to hold us with his love.
Loving God, we are so blessed that you are always with us. We can feel your grace and love in the most difficult times. AMEN
Hear God in Other Voices 