Friday - September 27, 2024

Donald (Luke) Day

SCRIPTURE


John 8.1-11


Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 

Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.


At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”


“No one, sir,” she said.


“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”



WORDS OF HOPE


Today is the National Day of Forgiveness and today’s reading from the Gospel of John seems especially appropriate. After reading or hearing this thought from Scripture, may we take time to be quiet with it and let God's Spirit talk to us about what we have learned. It gives us an opportunity to walk along with Jesus and draw from that experience valuable lessons which apply to our daily lives.


This narrative from the gospel of John gives us an opportunity to learn about meeting and accepting others as God values them. In this passage, Jesus was teaching some followers in the Temple when the scribes brought before him a woman whom they claimed was caught in the act of adultery. They hoped to trick and condemn Jesus if he did not agree to stone her to death. But Jesus turned the question of personal sin on to them when he told those pious men in attendance: "Who among you has not sinned?" 


The accusers were forced to withdraw in defeat. But how would the sinless Jesus encounter this woman? Finally, only Jesus and the accused woman were present when he told her: "Neither do I condemn you. Go your way and from now on sin no more." Jesus offered this woman the divine forgiving embrace. Rather than a judgmental rejection of her, he offered forgiveness and a better chance to live as God wishes. 


It is so easy for us to immediately adopt a posture of judgment or condemnation of others, especially those about whom we know little. However, that is not how God meets us in our imperfect lives. We should love others as we have experienced God's love, and that love is a divine love of acceptance and help. 


PRAYER


Today, on the National Day of Forgiveness, as we encounter others, help us to open our hearts to God's forgiving love and let that inspire our words and actions as we interact with them. May we become the all-understanding and loving heart of God to the other person. Amen


DEVOTION AUTHOR


Donald (Luke) Day

Order of St. Francis and St. Clare



Need More Inspiration? Read our Daily Devotions

By Donald (Luke) Day July 4, 2025
SCRIPTURE  Psalm 139:10-11 "If I say, surely darkness shall cover me, and the light (of good old times) around me become dark night; even then your divine hand shall lead me, and your good right-hand will hold me fast." WORDS OF HOPE Today is the 4 th of July, Independence Day, traditionally a day of gratitude for the past and optimistic hope for the future. Hope is the expectation of that which is not yet realized, but desired enough that it is sought. It is one element of the human psyche which motivates life to continue. In these chaotic times, we hear grumbles and genuine concerns around us about the fragility of our hope in the future. When hope is lost, there is deep despair or even loss of the vital force to continue life. Since the beginning of humanity, God has been shown to be the answer to our despair. The Bible narratives and the actions of Jesus show us again and again that God is the true source of our hope. Sometimes we forget this truth and that is not unique to this generation. For several generations before Jesus' birth, Jewish life endured much despair. The Roman army occupied their land with consequent economic hardship and heavy taxation. The Temple authorities and High Priest were "under the thumb" of King Herod and his Roman masters. There was religious dissension, and the former strong voice of God's prophets no longer was heard. It was a time when the voice of God's Spirit seemed to be dulled by uncertainty and almost quenched. The hardship and darkness of daily life seemed to make God's presence very distant. The constant stress and burden of each day could be endured only by a flickering hope that God had not forgotten them. They must have lamented, "When, O God; how long will it be before the past's better times return again?" God's presence in their daily life seem to be diminished; God's voice seemed to be quieted, almost breathless. Still, some people had a fleeting hope that God would break through the spiritual darkness. Little did they know that God was setting the stage for their salvation. In today's uncertain world, you may have experienced similar spiritual stress and uncertainty. How many times have you thought: "When O God, will we get back to normal?" Like that generation of Jews before Jesus' birth, we need to hold tightly and be assured the hope that God is with us in our struggles, and that relief will come with renewal of our spiritual life. We are never separated from God! As the Psalmist reminds us, “Even now your divine hand shall lead me, and your good right-hand will hold me fast." Keep up your hope, God is still working! Every day we remind ourselves of that truth we are celebrating our own personal Independence Day. PRAYER Lord God, bring quiet to my mind and help me to center my attention toward your presence in my life this day. May I clearly hear your voice as you teach me and guide my life in the ways of your love. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
By Charlie C. Rose July 3, 2025
SCRIPTURE Luke 8.7 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. WORDS OF HOPE Today’s official bizarre holiday is Superman Day. This is always a fun day for me. My earliest television memories were watching the old 1950s TV show, The Adventures of Superman with George Reeves. I was so young in fact that I didn’t really know what I was watching other than a man and in a funny suit and cape, who would jump out a window and fly, and somehow always be positioned in front of his friends to deflect bullets. But it had a lasting effect. Not only that show, but later it became much more about the character and into adulthood about the metaphor. Superman represents so many things. In a way, it’s a similar retelling of the story of Moses in the Bible, sending an infant son in a basket down the river, or a rocket to another galaxy. Or the parallel of God sending his only begotten son, to save humanity from themselves, interfering in the challenges of their lives only as often as needed. I’ve always been fascinated with the costume of Superman beginning with the TV show. There were lots of various costumes that the actor George Reeves had to wear, both in black and white filming and later in color. George even had a special set of outfits he would wear in public for his promotional appearances. Everywhere he went he had to be Superman and at other times to heighten the drama, he would appear as Clark Kent in his suit, hat, and glasses. Kids cheered enthusiastically for Clark as well, knowing who he really was and that he would make the switch into his more colorful costume later. The obvious parallel, which I believe we can relate to is the one we all share, creating different personalities of ourselves at work, or home, or perhaps in different social situations. This isn’t just about Superman. It’s about us isn’t it? Isn’t it about sometimes living out our lives wanting to be perceived as normal to everybody on the surface yet hiding our true selves? Do you ever do that? Do you want to blend in? Or are you the one who dares to be different in a crowd who may disagree with you? Many of us feel confident in speaking our truth. Others are more comfortable being the one doesn’t make waves. There is no right or wrong answer here because we all have our differences of opinion on how we present ourselves; what we’re willing to say out loud, and what we are not. Jesus knew that there was a time for miracles and a time for meditation, a time for raising the dead and a time for resting from it all. In the comic book stories of Superman, he eventually shares his true self with Lois Lane. Perhaps the real parallel is that the people around us are all more like Lois Lane and can’t be fooled by a pair of glasses. Maybe that secret thing about yourself that you hold dear is not so secret at all. Just remember, the children clapped just as loud for Clark Kent as they did for Superman. PRAYER Creator of all, we sometimes live in a world of duel identities. Help us to be flexible in ways we share our feelings in a diverse society but may the message we share always be centered on your love. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Charlie C. Rose Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
By Dan Peeler July 2, 2025
SCRIPTURE Micah 4:3 God will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. WORDS OF HOPE The Prophet Micah didn’t hold back when he had an important, often urgent, message to deliver. He spent a generous portion of his time condemning the corruption of God’s plan for the Hebrew people, especially by the organized religious leaders in wealthy big cities such as Jerusalem. A small-town boy himself, Micah, I’m sure, took great pleasure in informing them their promised Messiah would one day be born in the unremarkable tiny town of Bethlehem. A contemporary of the preeminent Prophet, Isaiah, Micah is listed among the Minor Prophets, but his impassioned words are some of the most-quoted passages of the Bible. His central message is the condemnation of war. He prophesies that only God can bring about the conclusion to centuries of the senseless devastating conflict that has plagued not just Israel, but all the other nations. He sees a future when the world will “beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.” It is not difficult to understand why Micah was considered a Minor Prophet. In his era, no one was ready to hear these particular words that were spoken by God through the Prophet. There were already quite a few more wars on their agenda. Jesus, the most radical preacher of them all, heard Micah’s message loud and clear. How many of us in our century are finally ready to listen to Jesus? PRAYER Our faith has been kept alive by the eloquence of great women and men you have chosen throughout many centuries to be your messengers. Give us the wisdom to recognize your eternal wisdom today. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
By Carole Anne Sarah July 1, 2025
SCRIPTURE Romans 8.26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit intercedes for us through wordless groans. WORDS OF HOPE When We Have No Words There are times when we simply have no words to describe what we feel, and times when we have no words to give the person who is grieving. Sometimes we simply admit our lack and offer hugs or share tears. God knows, and God cares. The scripture in Romans gives us an idea of how we can cope in the midst of our “no words” crisis. This scripture says, even when we do not know what to pray for, the Spirit intercedes for us through wordless groans! It is somewhat of a novel idea in our culture, but common in some others. My Aunt Esther used to regularly spend time in prayer for others. She often relied on “groaning in the spirit” when she was confused about how to pray. Now I too have learned to groan. I have experienced this in praise and worship, when the singers switch from words to pure vocal harmonies. It is powerful and calls to the depths of my soul as I commune with God beyond words. Let us give ourselves up to the many ways of being intimate with God. PRAYER Loving God, may your Holy Spirit speak for me everything that I cannot. Hear my groanings and know even the things I cannot know. I trust you to love me and care for me and those whom I love. DEVOTION AUTHOR Carole Anne Sarah
By Jonathon McClellan June 30, 2025
SCRIPTURE  Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. WORDS OF HOPE God’s GPS What God has planned for you nothing, no person, no force on Earth or in heaven, no demon, absolutely nothing can stop it from coming to pass. You may be doubting whether or not you are going to get the money you need, that college degree, the house that you have always wanted, or the baby that you keep seeing in your dreams, but if God wants you to have it, then it is already yours. You can relax. Stop doubting. God has something special for you that isn’t for anyone else. Just because you do not see it, does not mean that it is not on its way. This is the GPS. No, not the navigation system in your car. This is God’s Postal Service and it is fast, reliable, and always on time. If your dream has not arrived yet, then that does not mean that you should give up on your dream. It could mean that something is not ready yet. When God wants to bless you, God wants to make sure that you are ready for the blessing. The bigger the blessing the bigger the preparation. When we stop trying, stop believing, and stop seeking we sometimes stop what God is trying to do in our lives. Time will pass and another opportunity will present itself for you to achieve your dream. This is not a coincidence but God trying once again to bless you. However, if we keep turning away, ignoring the signs, then eventually we will become deaf to God’s voice urging us to keep trying. God does not do all the work. God opens doors but it is we who must walk through them. Take a chance on investing in yourself. There are always going to be risks, but you are not taking the risk alone. God will be there guiding you. If you are not meant to have something, then you will know because the distance between you and what you are seeking will keep getting further and further apart. It will feel like something is pulling you in another direction. That could be God leading you towards another path. Do not be discouraged by this because it is always the case that God’s plans are better than our own. Keep fighting for your dreams; it may take years, but the rewards are greater than you can even imagine. PRAYER Spirit of Wisdom, Give us discernment for the journey, patience for the waiting, and gratitude when we finally receive the promise. You have loved us before we loved You and have plotted our course. We praise You, not because You give us gifts, but because You give us the assurance of Your love. Help us to be as steadfast in our faith inasmuch as You are steadfast in loving us. We pray by Your holy name, Jesus. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
By Weber Baker June 27, 2025
SCRIPTURE  Genesis 1:28-31 God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. ’God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food. ’And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. WORDS OF HOPE The population of the Earth is well over 8 Billion. That is a lot of people and it is fair to say that if people have failed to follow God’s instructions in most things, we’ve done a good job with ‘fill the earth’. There are some interesting things to note. God uses almost the same language about blessing, being fruitful and multiplying a few passages earlier; before the creation of humans. Similar words are spoken to Noah as he departs the ark. God again says things of this nature when talking to Abraham about Isaac and Ishmael. But just as we have gone overboard with multiply, humans have taken subdue and dominion a bit far. We often treat this place with distain. The heat we are living under is a result of that distain. Our resources, plants, animals, air, water are all in peril. We conduct wars which not only destroy people but also animals, plants, habitation, the earth itself. We tear up the earth to mine the materials for our lives. I do not know what the original Hebrew word in the Bible was that was translated as dominion. But I do know that the root of the word dominion is domus, Latin for home. So, as we contemplate the world and the huge number of people in it, keep in mind and your prayers all the people of the earth. This place is our home and is meant for everyone. There are a lot of us and many, perhaps most of us have great needs in basic survival. Pray for our home, where we all live. PRAYER Creator, you made this place and all the universe to be home for your creation. May we come to love and cherish Your creation as the gift you mean it to be. May we remember that this is our home. DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
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