Devotion
Humbling Ourselves
Chipo Biti
When we try to live our lives according to impulses inspired by pride and our egos, we are simply setting ourselves up for failure. There is no good that can ever come from thinking that we know better than God. When we try to rush for opportunities that we are not ready for, we simply end up setting ourselves up for embarrassment.
When people are not used to delayed gratification, they believe that they deserve to get whatever they want whenever they want it. This is not a wise way to live. When this happens, we ignore God's instructions and we choose to follow our own way instead because we believe that it is far better than the path that God has planned out for us. But this is the truth: we cannot do anything significantly meaningful without God. If we try to live our lives on our own terms it means that we are turning our backs on God.
Humility means that we acknowledge God's leadership over our lives and how we are nothing without it. Humility acknowledges that on our own, we are not the superbeings we think we are. If we were, we would not have needed God to save us from ourselves.
Prayer
When we choose to humble ourselves under God's leadership, and we choose to follow His guidance instead, we will walk in the right way. Our time of recognition or appreciation will come in due time. When it happens we will not treat it like the be all and end all of our lives because we will be fully aware of what truly matters - God and His will for our lives.
When we try to rush the process, we end up delaying it because of the mistakes that we inevitably made.
It is far more rewarding to let God guide you. This will also stop you from experiencing embarrassing situations that could have been avoided.Devotion
Humbling Ourselves
Chipo Biti
When we try to live our lives according to impulses inspired by pride and our egos, we are simply setting ourselves up for failure. There is no good that can ever come from thinking that we know better than God. When we try to rush for opportunities that we are not ready for, we simply end up setting ourselves up for embarrassment.
When people are not used to delayed gratification, they believe that they deserve to get whatever they want whenever they want it. This is not a wise way to live. When this happens, we ignore God's instructions and we choose to follow our own way instead because we believe that it is far better than the path that God has planned out for us. But this is the truth: we cannot do anything significantly meaningful without God. If we try to live our lives on our own terms it means that we are turning our backs on God.
Humility means that we acknowledge God's leadership over our lives and how we are nothing without it. Humility acknowledges that on our own, we are not the superbeings we think we are. If we were, we would not have needed God to save us from ourselves.
Prayer
When we choose to humble ourselves under God's leadership, and we choose to follow His guidance instead, we will walk in the right way. Our time of recognition or appreciation will come in due time. When it happens we will not treat it like the be all and end all of our lives because we will be fully aware of what truly matters - God and His will for our lives.
When we try to rush the process, we end up delaying it because of the mistakes that we inevitably made.
It is far more rewarding to let God guide you. This will also stop you from experiencing embarrassing situations that could have been avoided.
Devotion
Culpability
Frances Taylor
This is an interesting passage because, among other things, it talks about sin and who is considered guilty of sin. Paul is talking about how he has been forgiven, how God has been merciful to him because his actions were committed in unbelief. In order for sin to be committed, one needs to know he is committing it. No one can commit sin in retrospect. Sin is always a deliberate act. This can be hard for some to understand. Actions can be considered sinful, even though the person committing them may not be culpable. For example, lying is a sin. However, is the two year old hiding behind the curtains sinning when he or she claims not to have broken the vase? No, because the child has no understanding of the difference between truth and lie. Those who do not have a relationship with God, who do not know the commandments, who have never heard of Jesus, may commit sinful actions, but are not guilty of sin. This is what Paul claims is his situation. Paul ...
Morning Prayer
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, ) full of grace and truth.
Inspiration
When the Lord sent his only Son, he sent also his word. For his body was this very word made flesh. Importantly this was not simply a manifestation of God's word, but also rather an 'animation' of it (meant here in the original Latin as 'animare' –'to instill with life or spirit'), an instance of God's love and divine grace in action, among us.
Prayer
Lord, I am grateful for your mercy in showing us your word made flesh so that we may be redeemed. Further, I am grateful to you for showing us your love and grace through your only begotten son. Let his body not have been torn and broken for no avail, but feed us now in the Eucharist. Let not his blood have...
