Morning Prayer
Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction. In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.
Inspiration
Through God, all things are possible, and all things may be made a new. Dwell not on the past, of what was or could have been, but rather look forward to what through God's grace, may unfold within his divine plan. Being a Christian is constantly about a state of becoming, of a movement towards the Light of perfection shown to us by Christ. A part of this is to always remain open to Gods' works and feats, emerging all around us. God's will to create and recreate the world is his right as our Heavenly father, and it is not for us to mourn what may pass, but rather to seek to adapt our faith in becoming, or in what is yet to come.
Prayer
Lord Almighty, creator of the Heaven and the Earth, hallowed by your mighty name. In your presence, I pray that I may bend my spirit to your will. May I not cling steadfast to my past comforts and accomplishments, but trust in your plan for the future. May I seek instead every day to move with you, in accordance to your divine designs for this world. For only you Lord, hath the power to pave a way in the wilderness, and give rivers to the desert. Hallowed be your mighty 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 ...
Morning Prayer
Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!
Inspiration
Those in ancient Israel, as today and in all lands, who prey upon the poor and vulnerable, who pervert justice against them and deny them their rights, sin against God. His eyes see, his eyelids try the children of men, and nothing is done in secret where he does not know.
Prayer
Give me a heart of compassion, O Lord, for the weak and helpless, for the poverty stricken, for widows and orphans. And give me a righteous indignation against those who oppress them, pervert their justice, or deny their rights. Amen.
