Devotion
Let my people go!
David Jacobs
What is your greatest fear? In surveys, many people claim that they fear public speaking more than they fear even death! I shared this fear as a child, constantly feeling anxiety in front of crowds and embarrassed by even the smallest speech mistake that I made in front of people. This changed when I performed a scripture reading as a teenager in front of a large crowd at my church on Christmas. I had practiced reading these verses aloud and was well prepared. I read the verses and could see the looks on the crowds' faces, happy to see a young boy reading such important words. From that point on I relished performing in front of crowds because I knew how much people would appreciate it if I did a good job.
Moses shared this fear of public speaking and felt inadequate for the mission that God had asked of him. "Why me?" he asked God. God replies with the famous verse: "I AM THAT I AM...I AM hath sent me unto you." (Exodus 3:14)
In the verses of this devotion, Moses is still unsure of his mission. God makes the objectives of his mission more clear: Moses will go to Egypt and tell the Pharaoh to free the Israelites or else God will kill every first-born. Poor Moses must have felt the pressure! God had even performed several miracles to show Moses his miraculous power, but Moses was still unsure. Like me, a shy boy in front of a big Christmas congregation, it took Moses being in that moment, being on that stage, before he realized that he could do it. We must place our trust in God. He will not ask of us something that we cannot handle. Remain faithful and good. Leave everything else to God.
Prayer
Are there aspects of your life that make you feel inadequate? Go to God and ask Him for strength. Trust in God and face your fears as Moses did. Each time you do, the fear will be slowly transformed into strength.
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...
