ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
August 24, 2020
Prayer for the Week: Allow for simple words to spill into our ears and our minds – words like grace and mercy, kindness and love, steadfastness and compassion, forgiveness and justice. Simple words woven into the scriptures; simple words whispered by the Spirit; simple words enfleshed in Jesus. Holy God, we do not require a dictionary for these simple words, but if they are ever going to see the needed transition from premise to practice, there is some work to be done. Give us eyes to see those whose lives provide a clear definition, one so marvelously expressed that we will have a compelling model for this generation. There are plenty of people who claim to personify these heavenly attributes, yet there is nothing in their character or witness that speaks of Jesus. Provide us wisdom that we might discern the difference. False prophets and con-artists and the chronically confused have too often been venerated for all the wrong reasons. We judge only to shine the light upon what is not you – believing the antithesis is often as good a teaching tool as the model. Simple words demand a lot of work, especially when they are revealed to us by the Living Word. We trust that our learning and growth will not be done alone. Amen.
