Thursday, July 12, 2007

Today’s text

3 John 1:5-6a

“Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the friends; even though they are strangers to you; they have testified to your love before the church.”

Prayer

I give you thanks, Gracious One, for words of gratitude about your beloved. You privilege me to live among a community of your saints, a favor I value too little. Forgive me for dishonoring and discounting this gift that surrounds me day to day.

You allow me to hear words of appreciation and gratitude for your saints. The words often surprise, expressing joy and praise for souls I had disregarded or discounted, sometimes knowingly, sometimes not.

The words and laughter of gratitude for these souls startles me into repentance. They undermine my assumptions and quick conclusions about those whose beauty, truth and faithfulness I refused to see because I was so sure that I understood. I could not see because I was so certain that their weakness or fault defined them.

Just so, I missed seeing you alive in their flesh, stirring their struggle to be that which you would bring to life in them. Others see what I did not. And you used their words to reveal my cold stony heart and to turn me from the way of death. Thank you.

Give me a heart slow to judge and eyes eager to see and celebrate the beauty and faithfulness of your children, especially those who are difficult for me. Let me peaceably and faithfully do for others the work you have appointed to me. Amen.

Pr. David L. Miller