Devotion
The Healing Continues
Frances Taylor
Jesus continues his journey proclaiming the Good News of the coming of the Kingdom and his fame spread throughout the area. Word of the healings that had taken place encouraged people to bring their sick to him wherever he went. They just wanted to touch his clothing hoping to be cured. We often go to Jesus begging for healing as well.
The problem often is that the answer we get from God is not always the one we want. The one suffering from cancer dies. The illness is not cured and the person continues to suffer. Jesus didn't cure everyone either as we learn from further reading of the Gospels. Today there are people who are known as healers and God continues to heal in order to give witness to his power, But, again, not everyone who goes to Fatima, Lourdes, or Medugorje seeking healing are healed. And healing does not mean that those who are healed have more faith than those who are not.
I have a friend whose first 2 children were born with birth defects. She was angry with God to the point where she denied his existence. One day at work she fell and shattered her elbow. In spite of surgeries and physical therapy, she was unable to life her arm above her shoulder. Her mother heard of a well-known healer who was coming to the area and convinced my friend to go with her to the service. During the course of the service she felt heat in her arm. Doctors examining her later said that nothing short of a miracle was responsible for the total healing of her elbow.
We know that God's ways are not always our ways, but we still don't like it when God says no, or I have a better idea. Healing can be physical, spiritual or psychological. For many people, healing comes with a sense of peace that everything is in God's hands. This can be more of a comfort for us than any other form of healing.
Prayer
Lord, when we call upon you in faith you answer us. May we accept your answer to our prayers trusting that your ways are best. Amen.
Devotion
Good Brings Forth Good
Frances Taylor
And evil brings forth evil. Honest people can be trusted to be honest and dishonest people can't be trusted, because they lie. Whether we like it or not, we are judged on our actions. People are always watching us, just as we watch others, if we are honest with ourselves. It takes time to get to know people. Because of that, we watch what they do, what they say, so that we can decide how well we want to know them. We all shield ourselves from pain or misunderstanding by only revealing ourselves a little at a time. If someone is always gossiping about their friends, we wonder what they are saying about us, when we're not present. If a co-worker brings home office supplies, are you comfortable leaving your valuables around? It is only when others prove themselves trustworthy that we are willing to share ourselves with them; that we are open to bringing them into our lives. We look for the "good trees" to include in our lives, and once we ...
Morning Prayer
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Inspiration
Immanuel, as rendered here and in the gospel of Matthew from the original Hebrew, often translates to "God is with us" -marking the name foretold in the Old Testament of our Messiah and Savior, Jesus Christ. Indeed, God is and always has been with us. May his message of goodness and compassion shine through to our current age, where his name is still as relevant as ever.
Prayer
Lord O Heavenly Father, I give thanks to the pure Virgin through whom your word was born unto the world. Praise be your enduring song of hope for man and mankind, that you are always with us, in sickness and in health, in life as in death. May we glorify your truth in all we do, for then as now, forever more, Immanuel, Amen.
Night Prayer
Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
Inspiration
The world tells us to get what we want by all means necessary. The Devil enjoys weaving evil through a man's thoughts, making it seem okay to fight, steal, or kill to receive what they think the world owes them. As Christians, worldly treasures have no value; the love of God is the only incentive we have, and we joyfully live our lives according to His will. Although the world has a different opinion, we will continue to shine the love of God through our lives; living without violence and jealousy.
Prayer
Dear Lord, the world is filled with greed and the desire to obtain what we want at all costs. Forgive us for our jealous nature and teach us to live our lives as an example to others. In Jesus' name, Amen.
