Daily Devotions and Podcasts
Prayer: Lord, help me to see You in every part of my day, even in the places I least expect. Open my eyes to Your presence in the ordinary and the extraordinary moments of life. Amen.
The Cathedral of Hope Devotion Ministry began as an answer to Progressive Christians who wanted to start their days with a little insight, observation, or wisdom about the Christian faith from their own point of view. Conservative internet devotions were abundant, but there was not much out there for liberal thinkers. The need was clear.
Being a large church, we had a generous amount of writing talent available and also a large number of congregants with theological training who were not on the pulpit. In the early days of the ministry, most of the writing was done by the clergy, but gradually the majority of the writers emerged from those lay volunteers.
That dynamic is still in place as new authors are always joining in to keep the ideas fresh. It’s a fitting structure for any center of progressive thought. This particular Body of Christ has many voices and each one has a unique and important story to tell.
SCRIPTURE Isaiah 58:11 The Lord will guide you always; God will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. WORDS OF HOPE In these sun-scorched days of a Texas summer, I have had the opportunity to take more indoor time than usual for meditation and reflection; more time to spend in peace, listening; hearing what thoughts God may send my way. What I’ve found true for myself is that my inner peace, health, and happiness have been much better than I might have predicted. I’ve thought a lot about not only my relationship with the Divine, but with others. The biggest truth is that my relationships: friends, extended family, are not just the people I share time with. They’re also my internet counsel and my foundation for the business of life. I can hear their affirmation, advice, and suggestions for guidance but it all circles back to me and what makes me happiest in the end. And if I’m honest; if we’re all honest, what matters at the end of the day is how we feel and how others make us feel. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was “never let somebody else put out your pilot light.” So, I have to be myself; do the things that make myself ME. My life has often been about resolving problems and restoration. I’ve learned that closing the door on a problem can’t resolve it. Worst of all, closing the door on someone I have a problem with creates unfinished business that could haunt me the rest of my life. Our job is to resolve our issues; strive for the best without expecting perfection. As an artist, I know when the art is finished but I’ve been taught one basic rule about it; never be content that it’s the best. Grow. Do better. Do your best and, as one of the four agreements says, your best is different every day. Your mood, health, and situations can alter what your best is. It’s often a personal choice, other times a programmed response. Relationships with both God and humankind are personal. Only you can know when your connection with God is genuine. Only you can know whether someone is the best match for you. Jobs may also be personal. Only you know whether a job you have works toward fulfilling you. Perhaps you’re asking, is it the best match for my potential? My life, of course, is personal. Only I can live my life. It’s not about how often I can please others or meet everyone’s expectations. It’s about sharing my light and dreams and hope... and some of those days it’s about lighting someone else’s pilot light or perhaps ‘turning up’ the burner! What aspects of your life are making yourself YOU today? What relationships, both human and Divine are giving you peace or nurturing your growth? You might find yourself having a little extra time to relax, be quiet and listen. What guidance is being whispered by God to you today? PRAYER Help me to know that your guidance for me is always available, always present, to strengthen my spirit. May I learn to be silent, to be at peace and to listen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Charlie Rose Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
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Words of Hope Podcast
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SCRIPTURE Isaiah 58:11 The Lord will guide you always; God will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. WORDS OF HOPE In these sun-scorched days of a Texas summer, I have had the opportunity to take more indoor time than usual for meditation and reflection; more time to spend in peace, listening; hearing what thoughts God may send my way. What I’ve found true for myself is that my inner peace, health, and happiness have been much better than I might have predicted. I’ve thought a lot about not only my relationship with the Divine, but with others. The biggest truth is that my relationships: friends, extended family, are not just the people I share time with. They’re also my internet counsel and my foundation for the business of life. I can hear their affirmation, advice, and suggestions for guidance but it all circles back to me and what makes me happiest in the end. And if I’m honest; if we’re all honest, what matters at the end of the day is how we feel and how others make us feel. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was “never let somebody else put out your pilot light.” So, I have to be myself; do the things that make myself ME. My life has often been about resolving problems and restoration. I’ve learned that closing the door on a problem can’t resolve it. Worst of all, closing the door on someone I have a problem with creates unfinished business that could haunt me the rest of my life. Our job is to resolve our issues; strive for the best without expecting perfection. As an artist, I know when the art is finished but I’ve been taught one basic rule about it; never be content that it’s the best. Grow. Do better. Do your best and, as one of the four agreements says, your best is different every day. Your mood, health, and situations can alter what your best is. It’s often a personal choice, other times a programmed response. Relationships with both God and humankind are personal. Only you can know when your connection with God is genuine. Only you can know whether someone is the best match for you. Jobs may also be personal. Only you know whether a job you have works toward fulfilling you. Perhaps you’re asking, is it the best match for my potential? My life, of course, is personal. Only I can live my life. It’s not about how often I can please others or meet everyone’s expectations. It’s about sharing my light and dreams and hope... and some of those days it’s about lighting someone else’s pilot light or perhaps ‘turning up’ the burner! What aspects of your life are making yourself YOU today? What relationships, both human and Divine are giving you peace or nurturing your growth? You might find yourself having a little extra time to relax, be quiet and listen. What guidance is being whispered by God to you today? PRAYER Help me to know that your guidance for me is always available, always present, to strengthen my spirit. May I learn to be silent, to be at peace and to listen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Charlie Rose Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE READING Exodus 7:14-16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water; stand by at the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. Say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you to say, “Let my people go, so that they may serve me in the wilderness.” But until now you have not listened. WORDS OF HOPE It is an interesting coincidence that this passage assigned by the lectionary falls on “VJ Day”. That was the day the Japanese signed formal surrender documents effectively ending WWII. The Emperor of Japan had refused surrender much like Pharaoh until it became obvious that too much death and suffering would befall his people. The stubbornness was not Hirohito’s alone, just as it was not just Pharaoh. His generals and advisors were just as stubborn. Japan like Egypt had never surrendered before. Sometimes it takes more than just signs and wonders, but sadly the blood of innocent people serves as the wake-up call that changes hearts. Pharaoh’s own son had to die before he let Moses’ people go. Facing that personal loss he relented, at least for a while. In the case of Japan, the surrender saved thousands of lives that would have surely been lost had the conflict gone on longer. The good news from that day is that now, Japan is one of our strongest allies and trading partners. The good news for Moses was that his people were freed from bondage in Egypt and left to eventually start a new nation. Both are stories of how people in power often forget how their decisions affect others. The story serves as a reminder that small decisions can have far reaching consequences, and we should weigh our decisions carefully. PRAYER May we remember how God’s had guided Moses to free his people and how hardening our hearts rarely leads to pleasant outcomes. May we listen for God’s guidance when we face our own trials and difficulties. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
SCRIPTURE Psalm 83.2-4 See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation…” WORDS OF HOPE This is the first day of National Courtesy Month. It’s a celebration we adapted from a Singapore holiday first established in 1979. Some call it National Kindness Month. The great novelist, Henry James, once wrote: “Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; the third is to be kind.” It is rather ironic that in the Daily Lectionary Reading for today, the Psalmist writes a colorful description of the least kind among us. So many of the Psalms were written in King David’s times when there was no shortage of enemy activities, including the countless tribes and nations that surrounded Israel plus the squabbles and insurrections within his own Kingdom. Three thousand years later, the names and places have been changed, but the world scene is not that different. In ancient days when I was in school, I memorized Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem: "The Charge of the Light Brigade," “Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Volleyed and thundered; Stormed at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well…” Do you ever feel like a soldier in the Light Brigade or an average citizen in David’s troubled nation? How do we follow Henry James’ advice or Jesus’ Commandment, “Love your neighbor.?” Or his show-stopping blockbuster in Matthew 5.44: “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." The Psalmist is specific and succinct about who those people are and what they do. How do we follow Jesus and include them in National Courtesy Month? I believe most of us know by now that in the social media world, the most courteous response we can give to a potential ranting opponent is no response at all. And Jesus wasn’t being sarcastic or ironic when he told us to pray for them. When we do that, it impacts who we are. What have we gained when we prove to ourselves that we can out-growl our enemies? Common courtesy is not that common anymore. Cultivating kindness within ourselves is not only calming. It’s healing. So, I’m grateful that the people of Singapore established this National Courtesy holiday to last a month instead of a single day. Jesus was inclusive in his instructions about loving our neighbors; all of them. And some of our neighbors are also our enemies. In a month of conscious kindness, I hope to have learned a lot about forgiveness and even more about love. PRAYER Forgiving God, help us to calm our souls and focus on healing our internal angers and external conflicts. May we remember that you are always with us as we are deliberate in practicing the kind of courtesy born from the Love example of Jesus. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
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