Devotion

Scripture

Isaiah 58.11

And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Words of Hope

“May the living presence of Christ Jesus in my life today…” These are words that I pray each morning in my waking up devotion time; a time of taking on fuel for the day ahead. Personally, for me the name of my gas station is “the Living Christ Presence”. That’s simply my preference as to how I name God’s Spirit action in the lives of today’s followers of Jesus. You may prefer to name your spiritual gas station: “Jesus, God, Holy Spirit or divine love, etc.”. That’s okay; just don’t name it “yourself” or “That neighbor of questionable reputation down the street”.

Starting a morning prayer is very important, and you should pause as you do it. Be very mindful to whom you are speaking! You are talking to the God of the universe, your Creator and your greatest love. You are committing to be responsive to the divine wish for your life and the divine voice spoken to you. All of that is very serious. And you are asking that God’s power and wisdom become the fuel which will empower your life that day.

The wonderful thing is that you don’t have to drive into the gas station in a sparkly clean, new and revved-up sports car. God loves you and will fill your spiritual tank even if your life arrives in a worn-out jalopy with one flat tire. Now, as you awake each morning, which soul-fuel gas station will you use to empower the day?

Or, will you ignore the car’s fuel gauge and simply head out on life’s road without any thought to your necessary source of spiritual fuel? For your consideration, I’m offering to you the text of a spiritual start to my own mornings:

Prayer

My Lord Christ Jesus, may your presence of fill every nook and cranny of my being to grow me to become a more efficient and faithful servant. May your living presence give me your inspirational words, wisdom and the physical strength and patient persistence to achieve those opportunities which you place in my life today. Amen

Devotion Author

Donald (Luke) Day
Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

Scripture

Isaiah 58.11

And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Words of Hope

“May the living presence of Christ Jesus in my life today…” These are words that I pray each morning in my waking up devotion time; a time of taking on fuel for the day ahead. Personally, for me the name of my gas station is “the Living Christ Presence”. That’s simply my preference as to how I name God’s Spirit action in the lives of today’s followers of Jesus. You may prefer to name your spiritual gas station: “Jesus, God, Holy Spirit or divine love, etc.”. That’s okay; just don’t name it “yourself” or “That neighbor of questionable reputation down the street”.

Starting a morning prayer is very important, and you should pause as you do it. Be very mindful to whom you are speaking! You are talking to the God of the universe, your Creator and your greatest love. You are committing to be responsive to the divine wish for your life and the divine voice spoken to you. All of that is very serious. And you are asking that God’s power and wisdom become the fuel which will empower your life that day.

The wonderful thing is that you don’t have to drive into the gas station in a sparkly clean, new and revved-up sports car. God loves you and will fill your spiritual tank even if your life arrives in a worn-out jalopy with one flat tire. Now, as you awake each morning, which soul-fuel gas station will you use to empower the day?

Or, will you ignore the car’s fuel gauge and simply head out on life’s road without any thought to your necessary source of spiritual fuel? For your consideration, I’m offering to you the text of a spiritual start to my own mornings:

Prayer

My Lord Christ Jesus, may your presence of fill every nook and cranny of my being to grow me to become a more efficient and faithful servant. May your living presence give me your inspirational words, wisdom and the physical strength and patient persistence to achieve those opportunities which you place in my life today. Amen

Devotion Author

Donald (Luke) Day
Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

Scripture

Galatians 4: 8-20

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?

… Sisters and brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong …. you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness?

Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose …They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now …

Words of Hope

Throughout Galatians, Paul shows us that true freedom comes through being in a relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. This freedom helps us enjoy life because through Christ we are released from guilt, futility, fear; and in return, given hope about life.

In this text, we learn that the Galatians had repented of their idolatry and works-based religion and received the gift of salvation through faith in the person and work of Jesus. But now they were tempted to earn God’s favor by works again (circumcision and observing days) implying that Christ’s death wasn’t sufficient to save. In this text we learn of 3 main ways to stay in step with Christ.

First, Paul questions their absurd attempts to return to slavery by contrasting their former state as pagans to their current state as Christians. As pagans, when they did not know God, they worshipped idols and were caught up in a cycle of trying to keep the law to save themselves. But this had no effect because of their sinful nature.  When they came to know God, they were freed from those futile efforts. So, turning back to law-keeping, even the law of Moses, to establish their righteousness meant returning to slavery and denying God.

Second, he reminds them of the joy and blessedness that they felt when they received the true Gospel, despite the repulsiveness of the messenger.

Third, Paul points out that he is not their enemy. He exposes the evil motives of the false teachers who made much of the Galatians merely for their own wicked ends. They wanted the Galatians to glory in them, not God. Go forth in love, knowing that you are loved, wanted, and transformed by Christ. Amen.

Prayer

Let us pray: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Devotion Author

Staci Orr

Scripture

Matthew 10:16-25

“I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves.”

Words of Hope

Prepare by placing yourself in the Presence of God, taking a deep breath, breathing in goodness and light and then exhale slowly ridding yourself of concerns and troubles. And then do it all again calming your thoughts.

As we reflect upon Sacred Scripture there are instances where we wonder why Jesus, or his disciples say what they do. In this passage from Matthew, Jesus warns us that as we go forth to preach the good news, most will not be open to our efforts. “I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves.” And we know that a “pack” of almost anything is more difficult to negotiate than a single adversary.

He describes this experience several times to make sure we have the picture! Now that we are completely terrified, he exclaims, “But do not be afraid!” While happy to know that fact, we still wait for the punch line where we are told that our words will not be ours but will come to us through the Spirit sent by the Creator. We have had on occasion an experience of being inspired in life by a person, a sunset, a song, a prayer. The Spirit – that same One who filled the Disciples on Pentecost is the one who is with us today. The Spirit allows us to touch the hearts of others, to reflect the life of Jesus and to perform little miracles every day. Do not be afraid!

Prayer

Holy One! Allow us to be reminded of your generosity in sharing your Spirit with us. Help us be grateful for all that you have created for us and not treat others as a threat of interference but as an opportunity to do good. Let us remember that harsh words or reactions to our doing good works is only a reflection of the pain and suffering experienced by those we are trying to help. Let us never take your love for granted! Help us to keep our eyes and ears open and to give thanks to you each day!

We make this prayer in your many names, O God! AMEN!

Devotion Author

Bob Shea
Cathedral of Hope / United Church of Christ

Scripture

1 Corinthians 1.30

By God’s doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.

Words of Hope

There are days when I feel numb. Texas summers can do that to us. The heat is draining, and it can leave me feeling empty, waiting for the next good thing to happen. I avoid the news as a rule. My opinion about too many things is easily reduced to how I’ll vote the next time, but this isn’t a review about political ramblings. It’s about profound emotions that come and go with or without much effort.

Emotions often exist as a summation of life experiences, the triumphs, and disappointments; the random joy, anger, and sadness that define life on earth. I confess I’m usually an optimistic brain type. Like Lady Gaga’s “Born That Way”. We have a certain predetermined overriding attitude that makes us naturally feel one way or the other. The recipe of chemicals within each of us that both gives us insight in our fellow Earthlings, and as ego determines, a microscopic glance into our often-predetermined moods. I like to think I’m in control of that.

Truth is, I know too well what situations I’ve created, the failures and successes of personal history that brought me to this day, because of what my thoughts and actions create. I own my creation no matter how tough or how lax I’ve been on myself and I live the life I created and must face my own profound happiness, anger, and even sadness. While I accept that my mood is the sum-total of randomness, the Texas heat is the “Sun total” of its ability to give life, sustain it, kill it, and yet by a scientifically measurable way, offer us nourishment.

The Son of God does the same. Christ is not a time traveler, but a voice for all time. Christ’s wisdom and insight into our humanity is profundity in itself. The mystery of the Word that became flesh is a wonderful, but abstract idea, giving a path to helping us deal with the unexplained or follies of living. If we dare listen to that Word, we are given God’s Door for an exit; an exit for emotional strife, dependency, sadness, the complexities of life and the ability to let go of the tiny details and embrace simplicity itself. To love, to forgive, to create, and the most elusive thing granted to all of us, to BE.

Prayer

Thank you that regardless of environments, circumstances, or the state of our current emotional lives, your love and wisdom are always there to guide us and to redeem us. Amen

Devotion Author

Charlie C. Rose
Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

Scripture

1 John 2.7-11

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is la new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in God and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says they are in the light and hates their sister or brother are still in darkness. Whoever loves their siblings abides in the light, and in them there is no cause for stumbling. But those who hate their brothers and sisters are in the darkness and walk in the darkness, and do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded their eyes.

Words of Hope

Why so much hate? That is not an uncommon question in our turbulent world. In a recent discussion with an old friend, in his frustration over the current political and ideological differences that plague our country, he concluded that “It’s time for a divorce!” He went on to say that in lieu of a bloody civil war, the most logical solution for our country is to divide into Red States and Blue States, with independent systems of government, but with interstate trade agreements. In his estimation, the ability to love one another is beyond the realm of reality. My friend is a highly intelligent and well-informed individual, but he is not a person of faith.

The writer of 1 John lived in oppressive, tyrannical, and dangerous times beyond our scope of understanding, but through it all he was a person of faith. In the letter to his readers, he doesn’t have to immediately state the text of the “old commandment that you had from the beginning.” By the time of the writing of this very late New Testament epistle, they had it engraved on their hearts from their earliest memories of being members of their faith community. It takes John three- and one-half chapters to finally write down the words, “Love One Another.”

This was Jesus’ most difficult teaching to many of his generation and maybe even more difficult to ours. Those three words are infinitely simple to say but unquestionable challenging to practice. The commandment leaves no options. There were no exceptions as to who the recipient of love was to be in John’s community. Though not as inclusive as “Love your neighbor” which included not only the immediate community of believers but the whole world, the words then and now command us to love people who we cannot possibly like.

Where does that leave our present community of followers of Jesus Christ? I can never like a person who practices injustices and preaches hatred, but I must love that person as one who has been blinded by the darkness. Jesus’ light was already shining then and is in no danger of flickering out now, especially when we take his words, his commandment, seriously. He didn’t say to love only those who return your love. That is not a relevant issue to a Messiah who loved the ones who condemned him and nailed him to a cross. His love was unconditional and so should ours be. It is the only way for the people of the Light.

Prayer

Before we react to, revile, or reject any of your children, our sisters and our brothers, teach us to look on them through your eyes and think of them through your heart and mind. Amen

Devotion Author

Dan Peeler
Order of St Francis and St. Clare

Scripture

(Luke 22:42)

“Abba Father, if you are willing, remove this cup [of suffering] from me; yet, not my will but your will be done.”

Words of Hope

How is your relationship with God holding up these days? In the Hebrew Scriptures, Jacob literally wrestled with God. It is impossible for human beings to fully understand the Divine nature, the will of God. Even Jesus struggled, ultimately within his own nature, to face the inevitable.

After Jesus had served that Last Supper with his disciples, he went to a quiet space in the garden of Gethsemane to pray. For several hours he wrestled with the pain and anguish of his probable betrayal, torture and brutal death. He prayed: “Abba Father, if you are willing, remove this cup [of suffering] from me; yet not my will but your will be done.”

After several hours of intense prayer, he got off the ground and was met by his betrayer, Judas. A scuffle broke out among the Temple police and some of Jesus’ disciples, and a Temple servant was struck with the sword. After Jesus healed the young man’s wound, he announced to all present: “No more of this.” (Luke 22:51) And then Jesus was seized by the authorities and taken away to be judged. There in the garden and during his trial, Jesus was resolved to allow God’s will be done.

Even in the most challenging and painful of the actions that were to follow, Jesus remained obedient to God because he trusted in divine goodness and wisdom even without seeing the endpoint. As we live through the uncertainties and fears of these troubled times, with a pandemic far from over, international divisiveness, and countless unresolved National debates, we can still have absolute trust in our God’s will. We may not be able to see what things will be on the other side of these troubles, but we can be confident in our loving and caring God, and in the end: “Thy will be done”.

We know that God is Love and ultimately Love will triumph.

Prayer

All-knowing God, when the weight of the world seems unbearable, when the news around us reports nothing but doom, give us the strength to say, “No more of this” and center our confidence on the wisdom of your divine will.

Devotion Author

Donald (Luke) Day

Reading

“Alongside the hard realities we must deal with, life offers a million moments of delight, and they too are real. Staying in touch with delight as it comes and goes, will help us do our share of the world’s heavy lifting.” Parker Palmer

Words of Hope

It doesn’t take a majestic mountain or cresting ocean to fill us with delight, wondrous as they are. A simple walk in the neighborhood will do. A mother cardinal feeding her fledgling. Sunflowers blooming. Walking barefoot on soft grass. A melody remembered. The strong embrace of a good friend. Watching my young neighbors on their morning walk to the elementary school—mom and dad with their coffee, big brother all tall and straight for his 7 years, little brother laughing as he sprints to the front of the pack.

But sometimes heaviness veils our eyes and we walk mechanically, checking our phones, blindly getting our steps in, but not alive to God’s grandeur. We carry the weight of the world and can’t seem to shake it.

Attending to the sacrament of the present draws us out of ourselves. In his poem “The Gift,” Czeslaw Milosz images such an experience.

A day so happy.
Fog lifted early, I worked in the garden.
Hummingbirds were stopping over honeysuckle flowers.
There was no thing on earth I wanted to possess. I knew no one worth my envying him.
Whatever evil I had suffered, I forgot.
To think that once I was the same man did not embarrass me.
In my body I felt no pain.
When straightening up, I saw the blue sea and sails.

Mary Oliver is the master of sacred attention and delight. In her poem “Mindful” she says: “Everyday/I see or hear/something/that more or less/ kills me/with delight,/that leaves me/like a needle/in the haystack/of light. It was what I was born for —/to look, to listen, to lose myself/inside this soft world.” https://wordsfortheyear.com/2015/07/22/mindful-by-mary-oliver/

Prompts from one of Oliver’s poems can be used as a nightly examen—a spiritual practice of reflection before bed. This particular model would recount experiences of gladness during the day. Each subsection of her piece titled “Gratitude” begins with a question which the poet follows with a listing of her own images. Taken together the catalogue is a full-throated chorus of things for which she is thankful. And it could be so for us—before bed—and even in the night-waking when worry strangles sleep. Here are her questions: What did you notice? What did you hear? What did you admire? What astonished you? What would you like to see again?

What was most wonderful? What would you like to see again? What did you think was happening? Of the latter, she imagines: so it is—with all the experiences of delight– that the “gods shake us from our sleep.” http://www.findingsolace.org/gratitude-by-mary-oliver/

Prayer

Holy and Living God, rouse us from our slumber, open our eyes, and fill us with your delight. Amen.

Devotion Author

Dr. Pat Saxon

Scripture

Romans 15:5-13

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Words of Hope

A commitment to live as God desires for your life begins with your commitment of each day and yourself to be obedient to divine help and direction. Think about the day ahead of you as if it were a day trip driving to an assigned work responsibility.

You have made yourself ready to go, then what happens? Do you sit down in a comfortable chair and do little about what actions come your way, or do you go out, get into your car, and set out on a day of opportunities and activities? As you get into the car, you must be mindful about going to work and getting the work done. Is there enough gas in the car’s tank to get you there and back? You probably need to get more gasoline, but from which gas station? Some people behave as if they can fill their car’s tank with some of their own home brewed, but left -over, morning coffee. Others seek the cheapest and maybe questionable source of fuel for their car.

However, wisdom suggests that it is best to trust your driving life with a single gas station that will always provide you with quality and powerful auto fuel. And which single gas station is that? Your decision to hook up to its fuel pump is one of the most important decisions you’ll make all day!

For a successful spiritual day of activity, you must acknowledge that God provides the best, most trustworthy and powerful fuel energy you can use to succeed each day! The best daily spiritual fuel I have found is the recitation of the prayer below. It could be your prayer, too. Each morning as you say this prayer, you acknowledge God’s provision and commit to “hook your spiritual tank” to God’s source of powerful fuel.

Prayer

Lord God, quiet my mind and open my heart to receive your words of guidance, so that today you’ll be glorified in all that I do and all that I am. Amen.

Devotion Author

Donald (Luke) Day

Scripture

Luke 24:50

And lifting up his hands Jesus blessed them.

A Word of Hope

“Holding Hands”

It is both an expression of affection and a practice of justice. Two senior adult men, married, holding hands as they walk across a public parking lot or down a busy sidewalk. It is a simple gesture that my husband and I began to practice with intention after we initially did it out of love and connection.

We noticed that more people smiled at us. Two aging sexagenarians, walking from our car to a restaurant, a shop, a church or a polling place. At times it took courage for both of us, and that courage was needed more in certain places. Especially when we travelled to areas where it was more likely that gay men were not openly embraced. We took a chance. Hoping that this act of both love and, in some communities, civil disobedience—if not by law but by custom—would start conversations that may lead to more accepting attitudes and positive outcomes.

Some people engaged us in conversation. If they noticed our wedding rings, we were often asked how long we had been married. This was followed by surprise when our answer was a date in 2015. Then we would remind them that it was only legal in Texas in 2015, but told them that we had been together longer. Several seemed embarrassed not to realize that, or perhaps gained a deeper understanding of the meaning of the Supreme Court ruling for non-heterosexual couples.

Being a gay, cisgender male couple, a sexual-orientation minority in a family, religion, culture and region where that was looked down upon by many until only recently, is our reality. We realized how difficult it still is—even with the great progress our country and society has made—for many youth and young adults, especially in the Bible Belt of the American South. Prejudice and hate are real. So, we hold hands in public.

Originally, for us, holding hands simply flowed from the desire to love and be loved. Perhaps that is what the world needs now. To be less afraid to hold hands, literally or figuratively, even when it may be uncomfortable or new. May it be so for our culture, our communities, our nation and our world.

Prayer

May we all, like the Christ, use our hands for healing, blessing, helping and holding the least of these; all of God’s beloved children we call the human family. Amen.

Devotion Author

Rev. Dr. Gary G Kindley
Pastoral Psychotherapist
CCIADallas.org