Friday, March 30, 2007

Today’s text

1 John 3:1-3

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all you have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.”


Prayer

I know what it is to have a child, Dear One. I have held my children’s cheeks to my own and felt the tender skin of new creation. I have watched over them, stealing into their rooms late at night to hear them breathe, each breath whispering reassurance that they were well and safe and warm, each breath filling me with gratitude and wonder at the blessing of caring for them.

I have watched them grow and given up opportunities for myself, utterly convinced that what happens for them is more important than what happens for me. I deserve no credit or praise. It was no sacrifice. I wanted to do it, and in the giving I discovered a joy surpassing any loss by the length of eternity.

In loving them, you let me taste eternity, the eternity of your everlasting love in which, by which and for which you made me and all your children. Is this the way you love me? Do you know such joy in giving gifts to your children, to me? Do you find unspeakable delight in my breathing, in my stumbling attempts to grow into something more whole and human than I am?

I think so. And I bask in the love in which you hold me, the same love you allow to abide in me. Your abiding love opens my heart to see you and share your delight--and sorrow--in loving. Seeing you as the love you are, we become like our brother Jesus, the face of eternity. What more could I want? Amen.

Pr. David L. Miller