Contagious fellowship

"Let us go with you. We’ve heard that God is with you." ~ Zechariah 8:23 (MSG)

They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved. ~ Acts 2:46-47 (MSG)

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Genuine fellowship with God is contagious.

PRAYER
Thank you God, for making yourself present to us -- for the fellowship and connection with you that is ours through Christ Jesus. Forgive me for whining when our time together gets interrupted by the events of life. Help me to see beyond the good but fluid rituals and patterns that I've come to rely on. Help me to find myself in the underlying fellowship -- the kind of fellowship that is contagious and compelling. I expect that others will be drawn to you through me. Amen.

Remembering the needy

The 11th Sunday after Pentecost

God remembered us when we were down,
His love never quits. ~ Psalm 136:23 (MSG)

Remember prisoners as if you were in prison with them, and people who are mistreated as if you were in their place. ~ Hebrews 13:3 (CEB)

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God remembers us when we are down and out -- and as his representatives, we need to do the same for those who are in a bad way.

PRAYER
Faithful God, thank you for continuing to remember me. Others forget me but you don't. I confess that I'm one of the "others" and am prone to forget about those who are suffering. Out of sight -- out of mind. I know that's not a good excuse. So, please prompt me to remember and to act on their behalves. I'm going to allow your compassionate care to flow through me and into those in need. Amen.

The marginalized

Don’t mistreat widows or orphans or foreigners or anyone who is poor, and stop making plans to hurt each other. ~ Zechariah 7:10 (CEV)

Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? ~ 1 Corinthians 1:28 (MSG)

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God calls us to walk alongside the marginalized because they are the ones through whom he is changing the world.

PRAYER
Thank you, God, for including me in your plan. I'm definitely a minor league player in your kingdom. Forgive me for allowing my aspirations for security, power, and influence to blind me to the poor and marginalized. Show me how to walk alongside the left-out so that I can continue to participate in your new creation. I seek this in the name of Christ Jesus, who left his throne above to walk and die among the broken on earth. Amen.

One and only

In heaven I have only you,
     and on this earth
          you are all I want.
~ Psalm 73:25 (CEV)

Jesus then asked his twelve disciples if they were going to leave him. Simon Peter answered, “Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life. We have faith in you, and we are sure that you are God’s Holy One.” ~ John 6:67-69 (CEV)

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Jesus is the only one worth turning to.

PRAYER
Jesus, you have shown that you are the Messiah -- the one chosen to change the world. Through your life, death, and resurrection you have proven that you are worthy of our undivided attention. I confess that in spite of your worthiness I have the attention span of a gnat and am easily distracted by anything shiny and blingy. Yet even so you still love me -- proving again your worthiness. If you'll continue to remind me of your presence I'll continue to follow -- even in my brokenness. Amen.