Daily Meditations
Hate is not the opposite of love; apathy is. –———-Rollo May
Apathy is a dangerous thing. It can lead us to do nothing and see a Hitler arise. We have to speak out against evil. We cannot ignore it. We cannot wait for someone else to take care of it. We must speak.
Jesus never sat back. He always spoke out.
Gracious Lord, help us to have the strength to speak up against evil. Help us to not be afraid. AMEN
It is so easy to remain silent. Too often we are with people that we like a someone says something that we violently disagree with. It is much easier to remain silent than to cause an upheaval. But silence can be damning. It reflects back onto us. There are times when we must speak up. If we don’t nip the evil ideas in the bud they grow to proportions that we cannot stop. Speak up!
Great Lord, you expect us to counter evil and stop it before it grows. Help us have the courage to do so. AMEN
Kindness has converted more people than zeal,science, or eloquence. ———Mother Teresa
In church we often hear the word evangelism. There are those who call it the E word and run whenever someone whats them to go out and do it. We are thinking of this word in the wrong way. To go out and tell people about our faith is fine but to live out that faith speaks volumes. We need to live so that people ask “why are they so kind and loving?” This is what will draw people to Christ.
Lord Jesus, you showed us how to live. You drew people by your works. Help us to do the same. AMEN
No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. ——————-Holy Bible 1 Timothy 5:23
See! The Bible tells us that it is ok to drink wine. I’m sure that Timothy means for us to do this in moderation. There are many things in the Bible that we can read as rules. Some think that drinking alcohol is wrong. If it is for them then they should abstain. The important thing to remember is that we can never be good enough to follow God on our own. Following rules will not work. It is not a bad thing to do but it will not save us. We are called to follow the path of Jesus the very best we can. We need to continue to try…always.
Loving God, we can’t reach you by following rules. Help us to follow Jesus instead. AMEN
At its best, Christian community nourishes the alternative life of centering in God, and instill at passion for compassion and justice for the whole creation.———-Marcus Borg
To be the Christian we are called to be we need to be in community. We need others to share our “God moments” and to hear theirs. We need the support of the community when we are in crisis and should be ready to help when others face problems. If you have not found your community keep looking!
Compassionate God, help us to find that place where we can nurture others and be nurtured. AMEN
Touch is important for our life. God created us to live together. He did not leave Adam alone. We need the Christian community. Sharing the peace, the touch of hands in healing are so important. God intended us to be touched.
Lord God, you created us together, help us to find the touch of your healing community. AMEN
We hunger for a kind of group association in which, through being ourselves, we may get to something greater than ourselves. We long to touch the transcendent, and, furthermore, to do it in the company of others who, by sharing our experiences, verify and confirm them. —————-Milton J. Rosenberg
I am one of the people who feel that it is hard to be Christian without a community of faith. We need others to confirm our beliefs. We need them to be with us during our trials and we with them during theirs. We need a family of faith. If you don’t have one search until you find one.
Loving God, help us to find a community that can become our extended family AMEN
see more on this subject on https://wordpress.com/post/worrylessjourney.com/2827
God never promised that life would be free of problems. There is no magic wand that can be waved to banish our troubles. Our strength to survive each day comes from God’s promise to be with us. Each struggle that we get through gives us the wisdom to survive the next. God helps us to learn and gain the strength to fight the next battle.
Intimate God, we give you thanks for your love for us and your healing presence in our struggles. AMEN
How much time do we spend caring for others? Do we spend most of our time thinking about ourselves? We all need care. We need kind words, hugs, phone calls, lunch dates, visits and many other things. Those things nourish us and help to grow and be fruitful. When we flourish we can pass on to others the care given to us.
Keep the path open between your house and your friends.
Loving God, you show your love for us in so many ways. Help us to do the same for others. AMEN
Hear God in Other Voices 