Morning Prayer
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Inspiration
Jesus tells the disciples that the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, will be present in His absence. God cannot be present amidst sin, thus causing us to become separated from our Creator. God loves us unconditionally and sent Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are filled with the Holy Spirit, thus allowing God to live within our hearts. God loves us beyond our understanding and made it possible to be united again. We will continue to live according to His will and abolish our sinful ways.
Prayer
Dear God, You love us despite our sin and made it possible for our souls to reunite with You for eternity. We devote our love to You and will continue to live according to Your will, abolishing our sinful ways; we will be together again one sweet day. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
Misrepresenting God
Frances Taylor
This passage is one I try very hard to take to heart. For over forty years, I have worked to bring the gospel message to children and adults alike. That is what I'm doing as I write this. It is so important that we don't misrepresent God to others. When someone tells me they don't believe in God, I wonder whose image of God they have been taught. When I was a child, it was common to hear that God was some policeman in the sky that was going to punish me for everything I did wrong. The idea of a loving, forgiving God was not taught as the norm. Ministers and other teachers of religion often spoke more of hellfire and damnation. It's no wonder that there are those who claim that God doesn't exist. On the other hand, there are those who taught that God was like Santa Claus, keeping track of our good deeds and rewarding us accordingly, or tracking our misdeeds and punishing us accordingly. Neither of these images of God are accurate. God is loving ...
