Have fear and suspicion ever caused you to mistreat someone? In our Gospel Reading, fear and suspicion cause the religious leaders and even the disciple to mistreat a blind man. They wondered what sins he or his parents had committed to bring about his blindness. When he is healed and receives sight, the religious leaders […]
Let us pray to God our Father that Jesus be the source of our life: Creative and forgiving Father you let people experience your mercy when they encounter your Son, Jesus Christ. Attune us to his voice speaking your Word of forgiveness and love. Dispose us to follow his example as the Holy Spirit forms […]
In a spirited debate with a Samaritan woman, Jesus tells us that the place to worship is not as important as worshipping in “spirit and truth” (John 4:3-30; 39-42). We can worship God anywhere, even on White Top Mountain sitting high above the valley below looking into North Carolina, and as you may guess I […]
Let us pray that God move our hearts and wills to follow Christ: Loving God, we thank you for all who walk by faith. There is always spiritual light for those who wish to see. As we pause and revere you, stabilize our faith and give us strength. Amen. (B. D. Prewer)
To be “born from above” emphasizes a spiritual renewal beyond ourselves from God through the Holy Spirit, and when we are born from above it is may be experienced as being born anew or again (John 3:1-8). We are constantly born anew from above. Do not limit it to a one-time experience. When we are […]
The first coming of Jesus Christ was a dawning whose brightness only grows until Christ comes again (2 Peter 1:16-19). This dawning brightness grows in the sense that the message of God’s love revealed in Jesus Christ has gone beyond Galilee and Judea unto the ends of the earth, including where you are. This dawning […]
Let us pray that the light of Christ shine upon us: Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is wonderful to worship in the presence of your beloved Son. May his radiant face give us light and peace. May sin neither disfigure us further nor divide us. May the light of his transfigured face shine […]
Jesus says that using words to put someone down or insult them puts the person speaking the insulting words in danger of judgment from God (Matthew 5:21-22). Although there are legitimate reasons to get angry, there is no legitimate reason to get mean and ugly when we are angry. Jesus is fairly serious about deliberately […]
Let us pray for obedience to God: Thank you, Jesus our Savior, for keeping God’s law perfectly for us. Teach us through your Spirit to follow you, and fulfill the law by a life of love. Amen. (LCA)
To be salt and light is who we are by God’s grace, and that grace flows from us to others. Although we may have to grit our teeth sharing grace, I hope we do good as a response God’s grace bestowed upon us . Like salt, we may be invisible to the world at large […]
