SA Treasures:Faith

FOCUS TEXT

Acts 19:11-12

God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.

DAILY BYTE

As we reach the final edition of this week’s BDC I would like to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed writing for the BDC during my time in South Africa. This week I have been sharing with you some of the treasures of God’s kingdom that I have found in this beautiful country. I sincerely say that reflecting on God’s Word with you through the BDC has been a treasure in itself.

The last South African treasure that I want to share with you and invite you to reflect on today is that of faith. Paul tells us in his letter to the Hebrews that faith is the assurance of the things that we hope for and the conviction of the things that we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1). It is through faith that we respond to God’s loving grace and are able to come to the knowledge of God. It is through faith that we can enjoy a relationship with a God that we cannot physically see or hear. It is through faith that we can hope in God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Overall, my time in South Africa has helped me deepen my faith. I praise God for that. During my last days here in Durban God allowed me to get a glimpse of what faith is. I was able to see faith in action. I was granted an opportunity to see Paul’s words come to life.

There was a person who came to see me to the MRMC office one afternoon. This person had previously called me on my cell phone and asked for my help. When I heard the request over the phone I asked if the person could come meet me at the church office, so we set up a time to meet. I will sincerely say that I thought this person needed economic help and I was a little worried that I would not be able to provide assistance. When the time for the meeting came, this person sat down in my office and seemed very distressed. I asked how I could be of assistance. This person began to tell me about someone who is very dear to that person. This individual is currently suffering due to an accident that he had and is also making bad life choices. As I heard this person talk about the situation I could feel the pain that burdened the person’s heart. After the person explained the situation, I asked, “How can I help you!” To answer my question the person opened a bag and took out an item of clothing, handed over to me and said, “This shirt belongs to him, if you could just pray a blessing over it I know that God will set him free!” When I heard these words I was deeply moved. I placed the shirt in the person’s hand, placed my hands over it and prayed with all my heart for God to bless this man and to honor this person’s awesome faith. After praying I saw a wonderful smile come to the person’s face and was personally overwhelmed by God’s peace and joy.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we thank you for the gift of faith. Thank you for allowing us to see the things that are unseen. Thank you for allowing us to hope in you through Jesus Christ. Thank you for those around us who trust in you so sincerely, help us follow their example of faith in you. Allow us to believe in the things you want us to believe in. Allow us to trust in you more and more every day. Amen.

SA Treasures:Children

FOCUS TEXT

Matthew 28:20b

And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

DAILY BYTE

One the most wonderful blessings that I have received during my time in South Africa has been interacting with children. I had the opportunity of participating in this year’s Holiday Club at Manning Road Methodist Church during the last week of June. I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with children, singing, dancing, and playing games with them during that week. Another opportunity that I had was attending the Clouds of Hope Mission Weekend on the second weekend of July. I joined a group of twenty young adults from MRMC and spent a delightful time of service, fun, and growth in Underberg, South Africa. Just this week I had the opportunity to visit Makabongwe Methodist Preschool where I enjoyed joining children as they sang and danced in praise of our Lord. Interacting with children has definitely given me a new perspective of God’s love. Their simple demeanor, their openness, and their spontaneity has also reminded me of the fact that Jesus call us to be like little children (Luke 18:17).

One of the children through whom God has blessed me the most here in South Africa is Julian. Julian is the eight-year-old boy of whom I wrote last Monday. One day in particular, Julian came into the MRMC office and asked if I was in, as he usually does. He came into my office, sat down and we started a long conversation. Julian told me that he had come earlier to see me but that he was told I was in a meeting. He was referring to our weekly staff meeting that we held earlier that day. Julian asked who had been at the meeting. I told him that Anna, Nozuko, Susan, me, and Jesus were at the meeting. “Jesus was there?” Julian asked with an evident expression of disbelief in his face. I said “Yes, Jesus was also at the meeting with us!” Then Julian replied, “Are you pulling my leg? Was Jesus really physically there?” Then I told him that if he did not believe me, he could ask Susan if Jesus was there. So Julian went into Susan’s office and asked her if Jesus had really been present in our meeting. Susan told Julian that Jesus in fact had been present in our meeting. Julian came back into my office with an odd expression in his face. I then told him that Jesus promised that he would be with us always until the end of the age. I explained that Jesus also promised that where two or more people gathered in his name he would be there.

You and I believe that Jesus is with us always. We believe this because we believe in Jesus’ promise to us. I invite you to reflect on this promise. We are not alone. Jesus reminds us today that he is with us always. However, Jesus’ presence in our midst is often taken for granted. In fact, Jesus’ presence among us is sometimes ignored. You and I believe that Jesus is with us, yet we tend to live our lives as if that was not the case. Take a moment and think of a person that you sincerely respect as a Christian. This could be your pastor or anyone that you hold in high esteem as a follower of Christ. Now, imagine if that person was with you all of the time, twenty-four hours a day. Would you do things different if that was the case? Would you act and react in the same way? Would you speak the same way, would you enter conversations in the same way? I can imagine that if you were honest with yourself, you would answer that in fact you would act differently. Now, remember that Jesus is always with us. He is with us twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I invite you not to take this for granted. I invite you to live according to the wonderful truth that Jesus is with us. I invite you to remember that you are not alone, that Jesus always offers you rest and comfort as you walk through life.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we thank you for sending Jesus into the world and into our lives. We thank you for his promise that we are not alone. Thank you Lord Jesus for being with us at all times. Thank you that we can find rest and comfort in you when we need it the most. Holy Spirit of God we humbly ask that you guide us to leadlives that glorify ourFather in heaven. Help us lead our lives in such a way that we can effectively communicate God’s love to those around us.

SA Treasures: Streets of Durban

FOCUS TEXT

John 13:34

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

DAILY BYTE

One of the experiences that I have enjoyed the most during my time in South Africa has been walking the streets of Durban. There is something about walking the streets of a city that allows one to experience its culture in a deeper way. Seeing people go about their daily activities, hearing the city breathe, and looking at some of the crude realities of life here in Durban has been a learning experience for me. I have particularly enjoyed many conversations that I have had with friends as we have walked together. During Sunday nights, after the evening worship service at Manning Road Methodist Church, I accompany a group of friends as they walk back to their home.

On one night in particular, as we arrived to my friends’ home we were met a by a woman and a man who asked us for money. This couple seemed to live on the streets. When they realized that my friends were about to enter the building were they lived they immediately started begging for a blanket. They said that they were cold and needed a blanket to sleep that night. While my friend was telling them that she did not have a blanket to give them, a girl in her late teenage years came up to us. This girl was greatly distressed. She had dirty clothes on and was not wearing any shoes. She was yelling and telling us not to give this couple anything because they were evil. She said that they had just stolen from her and that they had taken her shoes and thrown them over the wall into a home. The discussion started to heat up and in instant, the girl reached out and grabbed the man. The man responded by hitting her and pushing her down to the floor. The girl started to cry and asked us to call the police. One of my friends told me that if we called the police, they would not do anything because these people were evidently intoxicated. I begged the couple to leave and they moved a few feet away. I tried to console the girl who was crying and saying that she wanted to kill herself. I offered her a few rand to buy some food and asked her not to spend it on alcohol. I helped her get up and asked we could pray together. She immediately said, “Yes pastor, please pray for me and for my arm because it really hurts.” As we began to pray, the couple came close and the woman told me that the girl was her daughter. This amazed me. The woman said that the girl would get very violent and that it was difficult to deal with her. The girl then said, “Mom, please… he is praying for me mom, let him pray for me.” So I asked the couple to join us and told them if we could pray together. We joined hands and I prayed for God to bring peace into that situation. I prayed for God to shower them with love for each other. I prayed for their situation to change, for God to help them, for them to stay away from alcohol and drugs, for them to be able to find work, and for them to stop hurting one another. After praying together I told them that I needed to leave but I urged them to please not hurt one another any longer.

I don’t know if my prayer for them helped them. I don’t know if their situation has changed in last few weeks. I don’t know if the fight they had was something they orchestrated in advance to get some money. However, I do know that that night in particular they heard that God loves them and that God wants them to love one another. As I reflect on my last words to that family. I can’t help but think of the many times that I have hurt my own family. I sadly remember the times during which I have said and done things that have hurt those I love. I regret my selfish decisions, which have brought grief to my family.

Jesus calls us to love one another. I invite you to reflect the manner in which you interact with those you love. We must remember that the things we say and do often affect those around us. Please remember that the decisions you and I make, even the small and seemingly unimportant ones, often affect those in our family. Jesus calls us today to love one another. His commandment is for us to love one another in the same way in which Jesus has loved us. That is not an easy task, but it is one that is worth devoting one’s life to.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we praise you for your love for us through Jesus Christ. We pray that you help us love one another in same way that Jesus loves us. We ask for your forgiveness for the times during which we have hurt those around us through our actions, words, or decisions we have made. We pray especially for our family and ask you to help us love one another like Jesus has loved us. Inspire us and guide us through your Holy Spirit, amen.

SA Treasures: The Ringing Doorbell

FOCUS TEXT

Revelation 3:20

Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.

DAILY BYTE

One of the constant components of everyday life here at the Manning Road Methodist Church office is a ringing doorbell. The doorbell of the intercom, which is located at the car park gate at MRMC, is constantly ringing. People come constantly to the gate either asking for warm clothes, for food, for economic aid, or simply wanting to enter or exit as they engage in the daily life of this church. During office hours, a lovely voice replies when the intercom doorbell is rung. This voice politely answers the call at the gate by saying “Hello, may I help you!” After the person who has rung the doorbell hears the reply they simply express the reason why they have rung the bell.

In today’s text we hear a familiar voice that is calling at our doorstep. This voice says, “Listen! I am standing at your door and I am knocking... if you hear my voice and open the door, I will enter into you and we will dine together!” Jesus is always at our door knocking and asking us to listen. Jesus stands at the door of our heart and knocks. Jesus stands at the door of our home and knocks. Jesus stands at the door of our church and knocks. Jesus’ knocks on our doors come in different forms and in varying degrees of intensity. Sometimes you and I hear his voice and willingly and enthusiastically open the door and allow him entrance. At other times however, the busyness of life, the many things that occupy us and preoccupy us tend to distract us from the knocks of Jesus on our door. At times, when Jesus knocks at our door we tend to get irritated and answer unwillingly. Sometimes we simply choose to ignore his call. Sometimes we are quite selfish and only attend to Jesus’ when he knocks on our doors during office hours. When Jesus rings the doorbell of our hearts, homes, and churches we tend to only answer when we have the time to answer. At times, we sadly only open the door to Jesus under our own terms.

I invite you to reflect on the times when Jesus has knocked on your door. Some of us dearly remember and cherish the first time we heard Jesus knocking on our door. We dearly remember the time when his voice was so evident that we joyfully answered and welcomed him into our life. Some of us may also remember when someone in need came to our door and as we served him or her realized that we were actually serving our loving Lord. At one time or another, all of us have ignored Jesus’ knocks on our door. So let us hear his voice today and let us be attentive to his call. The next time you hear someone knocking at our door, the next time someone asks for your help, the next time you have a chance to enter a meaningful conversation, please listen closely. Please be mindful of the fact that it may just be our Lord who is knocking and asking you to deepen you relationship with him through those whom you encounter every day.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we thank you for Jesus your Son through whom you constantly knock on our door. We pray that you make us attentive and sensitive to those who are around us. Allow us to find you in the gestures and conversations of those we encounter in our path. Forgive us for ignoring the voice of Jesus when he knocks on our door at odd hours. Help us always be willing to open ourselves to deepen our relationship with you through him. Amen.

South African Treasures

FOCUS TEXT

John 10:9-11

I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

DAILY BYTE

My time in South Africa is drawing to an end. I can’t believe how fast this time of growth and service has passed. I can sincerely say that I have received so much more than what I have given.God has blessed me in so many different ways during my time of service at Manning Road Methodist Church. As I enter into my final week in Durban, I would like to share with you some of the blessings that have edified my life in the past few weeks.

In the sermon that the Reverend Roger Scholtz preached yesterday at Manning Road Methodist Church, he spoke of the kingdom of heaven. He reminded us of the words of Jesus that compare the kingdom of heaven to a treasure hidden in a field. Reverend Scholtz urged us to understand that though the kingdom of heaven is a treasure, it is not a treasure to be possessed or grasped on to. Rather, the kingdom of heaven is a treasure that is in God’s hands and which you and I will find in surprising places. Yesterday’s gospel message called us to realize that the treasures of God’s kingdom are not to be possessed but are to be enjoyed, cherished, and shared with others.

I have found many treasures of God’s kingdom here in South Africa, and I have often found them in unexpected places. One of the greatest treasures I have found here is that of friendship. In spite of the brief period of time that I have spent here, I have been blessed with friends of all ages. One of the aspects of friendship that I appreciate the most is communication. True friends are able to speak to one another openly and sincerely. It is in such conversations that God speaks to us through our friends. By the grace of God I have been able to hear God’s voice through several friends here in South Africa. One of my South African friends has just turned eight years of age and his name is Julian. I met him on my first day at the MRMC office. That same day he showed me a comic book called “Soccer Strikers” and as he opened one of the pages, he shared with me part of the story that he had been reading in which one of the characters was faced with a life or death situation. As he was sharing the story, he paused and asked me a question I was not expecting. Julian said, “If it was up to you... would you choose life or would you choose death?” Naturally I replied... “Of course I would choose life!” But Julian’s question has stayed with me throughout my time here in South Africa. Think about it. Do we choose life over death? In our daily lives, in the decisions that we make everyday, in our lifestyles... do we really choose life over death?

The decisions we make are up to us, God has given us free will. We are free to decide and our decisions often bring life or death in the broadest sense of those words. In today’s passage, Jesus tells us that he has come to this world so that you and I would have abundant life. Jesus, our good shepherd, has laid down his life so that you and I will have abundant life. I invite you to reflect with me on Julian’s question. Do we choose life in our everyday endeavors? Are our lifestyle choices life-producing and life-giving? Do we make choices that allow us to enjoy the abundant life that God offers us through Jesus Christ?

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we thank you for the treasures of your kingdom that are around us. We pray that you often surprise us by allowing us to find them in unexpected everyday places. Help us be open to new experiences and make us sensible so that we can hear your voice in the words of others. We praise you for Jesus your Son. Through him you have given us life. In Jesus you offer us life in abundance. We pray that through your Holy Spirit you guide us and inspire us to make life-giving and life-producing choices. Amen.

With Bands of Love

FOCUS TEXT

Hosea 11:1-4

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more I called them, the more they went from me; they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and offering incense to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.

DAILY BYTE

Today, as we conclude our focus on the ways in which we search for our God and on the ways that God meets us, I would like to share a personal story. My hometown is in the northeastern region of Mexico. It is a border town with the state of Arizona in the United States. Before beginning my time of study at Duke Divinity School, I was involved in a ministry that would reach out to migrant people who were either deported from the United States into Mexico or who were waiting for an opportunity to illegally cross the border into the United States. The focus of this ministry was witnessing of God’s love to migrant people. Once a week, a group of people from Mikedash Methodist Church (my home church in Mexico) would go to the places were migrant people would gather and provide a simple meal accompanied by a simple gospel message. What we would basically communicate to these people was this: “God loves you.” The experiences that I was privileged to enjoy during the years I served in that ministry were a blessing that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

The police often forced the migrant people we would serve to secluded areas in the outskirts of town. This meant that when we served the meals, homeless people would also come up asking for food. This posed a challenge at times because some of the homeless people were addicted to alcohol and other substances and they would tend to be disruptive. We always attempted to treat everyone lovingly and to offer them food and encouragement. There was one man in particular named Jeronimo who was always drunk and quite disruptive. Jeronimo would often come yelling and cursing and demanded to be fed before the others. One morning in particular, Jeronimo came up to the queue where people were waiting to be fed. As usual he was drunk, in fact I think he was more drunk than usual. He had consumed so much alcohol that there was an intoxicating odor coming out of him that was nauseating. He was a bit disruptive but he wanted to be fed. I struggled to convince him to wait quietly with the others, but eventually he stood still waiting for food.

After we handed out the meal, Jeronimo said that he wanted to be prayed for. A friend of mine and I decided to pray with him. We had prayed for him and with him countless of other times without any visible results. This time I sincerely felt a burden in my heart for Jeronimo, I really wanted him to understand that God loved him. Now, please know that I only write the following words for the glory of God and to remind you that God loves us. When we prayed for Jeronimo I placed my hand on his chest and asked God to allow Jeronimo to understand that God loved him. In a matter of seconds we saw a miracle take place before our very eyes. Before we prayed, Jeronimo was so drunk that he could barely stand. Before we prayed he was so drunk that he could hardly focus or make sense when he spoke. God answered our prayer. In a matter of seconds Jeronimo was sober. Jeronimo could stand still, he could focus, and the nauseating odor to crude alcohol left him. I was able to look into his eyes and see that he was no longer under the influence of alcohol. Amazed at God’s loving power we carried on and told Jeronimo how much God love him and that God wanted him to follow Jesus. That day, Jeronimo gave his life to our Lord. We cried together. Our tears were tears of joy and amazement at how much God loves us.

Dear friends, God loves us. Please don’t take that for granted. God loves you and I and God loves those around us. The words of the prophet Hosea remind us today of that love. The God whom we seek loves us dearly. Hosea reminds us of the times when you and I serve the idols that we have made for ourselves and forget about the God who loves us. Hosea reminds us of the fact that in spite of our sins our loving Father takes us up into his arms and heals us. Our Father draws us near to him with cords of human kindness and with bands of love. Let us respond to God’s love accordingly. Let us run towards our Father and embraces him trough the love that he inspires within us. Let us strive to serve only our God.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we praise you for your love. We thank for Jesus Christ through whom you revealed and expressed your perfect love for us.It is through Jesus that we can be in relationship with you. Father, we pray that you bring us closer to you with bands of love and cords of kindness. Help us cast down the idols that we have made for ourselves and move our hearts to serve only you. We worship you Father, for it is you who take us into your arms to heal our wounds. All honor and glory are yours. We offer ourselves to you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Transforming Voice

FOCUS TEXT

Acts 9:1-9

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

DAILY BYTE

As we continue to focus on how we encounter a God who is constantly seeking after us, I invite you to reflect on how Saul of Tarsus was transformed when Jesus spoke to him on the road to Damascus. Scripture tells us that Saul was about to reach Damascus when suddenly a light flashed around him and he fell to the ground and heard the voice of Jesus. In the beginning of the passage we read how Saul was breathing threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples. In the previous chapter we are told that Saul began to destroy the church and that he would drag women and men out of their homes and take them to prison. Jesus’s voice directly confronts Saul and the things that he was doing. Jesus’s words are not words of condemnation, but they are words that confront Saul’s sin and provide guidance. Jesus’ words provide Saul with instructions of what path he is to follow.

We know that this encounter that Saul had with Jesus was a deeply transformative one. We also know that after this encounter with Jesus, God used Saul of Tarsus mightily. The encounters that you and I have with God, which are initiated by our God who always takes the initiative, are transformative in nature. God is constantly providing ways for you and I to have an encounter with God. If we are honest with ourselves we will realize that there are aspects of our lives that need to be transformed. Personally I know that I struggle with many things and I often get frustrated with myself for being unable to change. But we must understand that if we really want to be transformed we need to intentionally step into spaces where God’s transformative power can gradually transform us into God’s image.

You may think: “Sure… it was easy for Paul. If the light of Jesus would literally blind me and take me to my knees, and if I could audibly hear Jesus’ voice confronting me and giving me guidance I would surely be transformed.” Trust me, many of us feel the same way. But I invite you to reflect on this statement: “Most of the time God’s voice is underwhelming rather than overwhelming… so we must have ears to listen to the voice of God.” These words are from Dr. Kenneth Carder, the resident bishop at Duke Divinity School in Durham North Carolina in the United States. Friends, God speaks to us today. The words of Jesus hold the same transformative power than they did that day on the road to Damascus. If the words of Jesus transformed a man who breathed murder and threats against Christians into the most influential writer in Christian history, surely the words of Jesus can transform you and me.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father God, we praise you for Jesus your Word made flesh. We pray that through your Holy Spirit you help us hear the voice of Jesus. Pleas allow that life-giving voice to transform us into the individuals and communities that you want us to be. Help us have ears to listen to the Jesus. Allow us to be sensible to his words that often confront us with our sins and without condemning us, provide guidance for us to fallow on your path. Hear our prayers that we offer through Jesus your Son, amen.

Face to Face

FOCUS TEXT

Genesis 32:24-31

Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.” The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

DAILY BYTE

Yesterday we focused on the fact that God constantly takes the initiative to meet us where we are. Let us now focus on a good example of this truth. In today’s text, we read how Jacob met God face to face. I invite you to reflect on this encounter that Jacob had with God.

There are three important factors to take into account regarding this encounter. First, God took the initiative by placing Jacob in situation where Jacob would have a meaningful encounter with God. If you read the whole chapter and become familiar with Jacob’s story you will realize that Jacob was at the end of a rope. He feared for his life and the lives of those around him. The set of circumstances surrounding Jacob brought him a place in time where God could bless him in a transformative way. Jacob desperately sought God’s blessing. Second, Jacob was persistent. He said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” Jacob kept seeking God’s blessing for hours and was struck by God. And third, God’s blessing transformed Jacob completely. That encounter that Jacob had with God literally changed his identity. After God blessed Jacob, he no longer was Jacob. He was now Israel. He was now the one who had striven with God and prevailed.

Merriam-Webster defines the word “strive” as an intransitive verb that means to devote serious effort or energy to an endeavor. Understanding that God is always ahead of us taking the initiative to meet us, we must strive to enter spaces in which we can have meaningful encounters with God. We know that God blesses us in spite of us. However, when we recognize the fact that God wants to meet us and takes the initiative to do so, we must strive in the search of God’s transforming blessings.

Throughout our life we encounter God in different ways. Please note that, at the beginning of today’s passage, Scripture says that Jacob wrestled with a man until daybreak. However, at the end of the passage Jacob says, “For I have seen God face to face…” referring to the man he wrestled with. As we walk this journey of life, we encounter God in different ways. God blesses us through different means and transforms us as we experience different situations. When we meet God face to face, we are inevitably transformed. Let us strive together to respond to God’s initiative and earnestly seek God’s transformative blessings.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, our desire is to strive as we seek your face. We pray that you lead us into spaces where we can experience meaningful encounters with you. We pray that you bless us. Allow us to be transformed to your image more and more everyday. As we pray, as we study your Word, as we worship you, and as we serve others around us, please allow us to meet you face to face and inevitably be transformed. Amen.

A God Who Seeks

FOCUS TEXT

John 4:23-26

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us. Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you.’

DAILY BYTE

There is a common misconception about God. At times we think of God as a passive being who is sitting in a throne up in the distant heavens. We tend to think of a God who is idling and waiting to be praised, worshipped, and served. We often forget that God is constantly taking the initiative to relate with us. Time after time in the Bible, we find example after example of a God who takes the initiative. God takes the initiative to communicate with us, the initiative to come into relationship with us.

Let us hear the words of Jesus today. Jesus tells us that God our Father is seeking. God is seeking? Seeking is not usually something that we associate with God. But, yes God is seeking. What is God seeking then? God is seeking you and I. Jesus tells us today that God seeks those who will worship God in spirit and truth. It is not common for us to think of our God as one who seeks. We are more familiar with the concept of seeking after God ourselves. But we must understand that God is the one who takes the initiative. God always goes ahead of us. God is constantly seeking after us.

As you and I well know, God sent Jesus Christ into the world so that you and I could come to the knowledge of God. God revealed God’s self to us in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. The Messiah, Jesus Christ, is the most vivid sign of God’s initiative to enter into relationship with us. God, through Jesus, has proclaimed to us all things. All things that we need to know and understand in order to enter into a meaningful relationship with a God who earnestly seeks after us. The question for us is: How will we respond to God’s initiative? Friends, please remember that our loving God is seeking for those who would worship in spirit and truth. Let us respond to God’s initiative and worship with all that we are and in all that we do.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we thank you for always taking the initiative to meet us. Thank you for seeking after us. We praise you for Jesus Christ your only Son. You sent him into this world to reveal yourself to us. Through him, you proclaimed to us all things that we need to know and understand in order to enter a meaningful relationship with you. Father, you are Spirit, so teach us how to worship you in spirit and in truth. Amen.

Are You Searching?

FOCUS TEXT

Matthew 7:7-11

“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Jeremiah 29:11-13

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.

DAILY BYTE

Yesterday, Sunday the 17th of July, I had the privilege of preaching at the 1 p.m. worship service at Manning Road Methodist Church. I was greatly blessed to see how God’s people at that worship service responded to an altar call. Seeing God’s people come before God in search for God’s blessing while praying on their knees is an experience that I will never forget. Hearing God’s people praying in eager expectation of God’s glory was very inspiring. This experience has taken me to reflect on how all of us search for God and for the things of God. Thus, I would like for us to focus, during this week, on how to search for God effectively.

In today’s text we hear the voice of Jesus telling us to search. Jesus promises us that if we do search, we will find. We also hear God’s voice through the prophet Jeremiah. God tells us that if we seek God with all of our hearts we will find God. Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, it is time to search for God. Why? There are many reasons why we must seek God. But I sincerely believe that the most important reason and the most valid reason why we must seek God is simply because God is there to be found! We believe in a God who has made God’s-self available to us through Jesus Christ. We believe in a God invites us to search for God’s face. A God who tells us today that if we knock on the door, the door will be opened, that if we ask, we will receive, and that if we search, we will find. A Good who tells you today: “I know the plans that I have for you, plans to do you good and to grant you a future with hope. Seek for me and you will find me.” Let us search for our God with our whole hearts. Let us call for our God and pray to our God. Our God is there to be found!

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we praise you for Jesus Christ through whom you have made yourself available to us. We call for you God, we need you. It is to you that we pray… we hunger and thirst for you. Come, and satisfy us. Feed us with your bread of life and give us of your living water. It is our heart that seeks after you who are our hope. We pray that through your Holy Spirit you guide us into your plans for us and that you allow our hopeful future to become a tangible reality. Amen.

I am worth more than two sparrows - hooray!

FOCUS TEXT

Matthew 10:29-31

Aren't two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground. Even the hairs on your head are counted. So don't be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows.

Romans 8:38-39

I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love-not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!

DAILY BYTE

I don’t know about you, but I am glad that I am worth something in God’s eyes and I am comforted to know that there is a special place for all of us in His heart. Looking at how intricately we have been designed, how could we not matter to God?

This was our main message to the children at Clouds of Hope. We wanted them to know and understand that they matter and are loved by God.

We were not the first group of people to go to Clouds of Hope nor were we the last. The children have seen many faces come and go but I hope that they will know that God will never leave them and that nothing can ever separate them from God’s love.

I pray that they will recognize that they are God’s children and valuable members of His family. I pray the same for us all because we sometimes forget our identity. Before God, we can be ourselves without fear of being labeled. When we are free, we unlock the cages where we have imprisoned others with our opinions and judgment. And it is then that we are able to love and appreciate them.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Lord, you created the earth in all its beauty. You then made us in your image. As we go about our daily lives may we see you in us and in others. Your love for us through Christ Jesus, what an amazing gift! This is the love that gives us abundant life, gives us hope, joy and freedom. We pray that our actions will reveal your love to the world.

Amen

Orphans No Longer

FOCUS TEXT

Romans 8:14-17

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.

DAILY BYTE

(Today’s BDC is written by Kayleen Wrigley)

During our recent trip to the Clouds of Hope orphanage in the Underberg, I was freshly reminded of God’s loving role as our Father. Whether we choose to admit it or not, we resemble orphans in various aspects of our spiritual walk. Without the grace of a loving God who willingly sent His Son to die for our sins, we are mere orphans with no father and no inheritance.

Because of His unfailing love and compassionate nature, God decided in advanced to adopt us as His own, welcoming us as members of His royal family. As Ephesians 1:5 says, “He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will.” Through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, we are able to enjoy a relationship with the God of the universe as our very own Father. Not only does Jesus’ death create a means for us to be adopted as God’s own children, it also gives us the assurance of an inheritance (eternal life) in Him. We are no longer orphans with no hope and no inheritance. We are sons and daughters of the most high God. We are now free to run into His arms and call Him Daddy. What an honour and a privilege to know the King of the Universe as our very own Father!

What, then, does our Heavenly Father require of us? To be His hands and feet, caring for the orphans of this broken world, showing them the perfect love given to us by our perfect Father.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Abba, Father, Thank-You for Your compassionate love and Your willingness to adopt us, mere sinners, into Your Holy Family. Thank-You that You sent Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins so that we could enjoy a relationship with You as our Heavenly Father. Thank-You for making us Your heirs and for granting us an inheritance. What a joy to spend eternity bringing glory to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Father, please equip us to reach out to the lost in this broken world, so that they, too, may enjoy adoption into Your family. We praise You, Father, for all that You are, and for all that You have done. Amen.

First Impressions

FOCUS TEXT

1 John 5:14-15 (CEV)

We are certain that God will hear our prayers when we ask for what pleases him. And if we know that God listens when we pray, we are sure that our prayers have already been answered.

DAILY BYTE

(Today’s devotion is written by Sarah Vermeer).

On reflecting on my moving experiences at Clouds of Hope in Underberg, in the Southern Drakensberg, this past weekend, it is only fitting that I share about one very precious child who has definitely tugged at my heart strings and taught me a lot about the mighty God that we serve. This four year old child, Qothela (the spelling of his name is a mystery!), became well known and loved by our group due to a number of reasons. People say that first impressions count and often become lasting impressions. Well, the first time we met Qothela on Friday afternoon we all quickly labelled him “the naughty one,” as it was hard to contain him during the activities and a couple of the leaders spent the three hour session trying to catch him. Qothela delighted in the chase and had a mischievous spark in his eyes that one could not help but notice. That night we sat around the fire place sharing stories of Qothela’s escapades that had left us somewhat tired.

During Saturday’s programme Qothela revealed a whole other side to himself that left us amazed and even more besotted with him. The mischievous spark was still there but through him God’s voice and actions were revealed to us all. That night we all swapped stories about the ways in which Qothela surprised us during the day! I spent quite a lot of time with Qothela on Saturday. In each embrace, sitting on my lap, kisses on the cheek, holding of hands, chasing him around the family cottages I felt God’s presence within him. This feeling was heightened during the closing prayer when all the leaders and children held hands in a circle to pray praises to God. One by one a number of leaders prayed and a couple of children lifted their praises to God. I was next to Qothela and in a brief moment of silence I heard him quietly speak the words “thank you.” At four years old, this was his prayer, and it was beautiful! He even said it a little while later when there was another gap in the prayer. Even though the others did not hear his prayer I know with confidence that God did, and He was well pleased by it. How reassuring it is that God hears our prayers – the silent ones and the prayers we pray out loud. God knows each and every one of us and cares for us deeply.

A last special memory of Qothela is from Sunday morning’s worship session that we held in the newly built hall at Clouds of Hope. It really was a beautiful worship service that all the children, their house mothers and our MRMC group participated in. Rev. Anna Layman Knox led us in a time of communion. The children watched in fascination as Anna broke the bread, which represents the body of Christ and lifted up the red grape juice, which represents the blood of Christ. All were welcome at the table of the Lord, and the children rushed forward to receive communion. Qothela who was sitting on my lap made his way to the front to join the others for his first communion. We had two rounds of communion as during the first round not everyone felt comfortable to participate. Anna and Nozuko encouraged everyone to be a part of this sacrament and round two began. I was busy taking photos and watched Qothela receive communion for a second and third time! When I asked him about it, he told me he was hungry! This weekend I definitely witnessed how the children hungered for God. We need to do the same in our individual lives. Are you hungry for God? We need to keep coming back to the table of the Lord for more so that our whole lives are about loving, serving, and living a life that Christ would be well pleased by.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Dear Lord. You have created us all in your wonderful image and knew us before we were even born. You love and care for us deeply. We are humbled by your unconditional love and are reassured that you hear our innermost prayers. Lord, we thank you for your omnipresence in our lives. Today, we pray for your continued love and provision to be showered over the children, mothers and staff of Clouds of Hope. May they be reassured that their prayers are heard by You. The people of Clouds of Hope are not alone but are held carefully in Your hands. Lord, we ask that You give us eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts that respond to the needs of those around us, particularly the needs of Clouds of Hope. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I Wanted the ‘Big’ Bible

FOCUS TEXT

Luke 18:15-17

People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they sternly ordered them not to do it. But Jesus called for them and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”

DAILY BYTE

(Today’s BDC is inspired by a story shared by Victorine Mukulu)

During our final day at Clouds of Hope, the children received a Bible, a Children’s Bible, or a Bible storybook depending on their age. Seeing the joy that the children had when they received their Bibles was a blessing. We saw such a deep hunger for God on their part. This showed us that even the little ones themselves want to run to God and desire to grow in God.

A girl in particular, who was about seven or eight, received a children’s Bible. I was moved when I saw her cry because she wanted a grown-up Bible like the one the teenagers received. The reason she gave for wanting the ‘Big’ Bible, as she called it, was quite moving. She said that it was through the Bible that one could come to know God better. Seeing the tears in this little girl’s eyes and hearing her words was such a blessing. Seeing such a little girl hunger for God in that way was a gift. She wanted to run to Jesus and be blessed by him.

We can learn an important lesson from this girl. She reminds us of the fact that we can come to Jesus at any moment. We do not have to be perfect to come to Jesus. Just like this little girl desired to run to Jesus, we too must do the same. Jesus calls us to be like this little girl today. Jesus calls us to be like her and run to him, to be blessed by him.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father of all creation, we thank you for the opportunity you gave us to be at Clouds of Hope. We thank you for the gift of joy from the children and for the knowledge you placed in them. Father God we also know that deep inside each of us there is a hunger that longs for you. We thirst for your Word,we desire to come to you. Come and quench this thirst. We wait for you to come and fill our heart and make us complete. In the name of the one who tells us to come to him like little children, in the name of Jesus we pray, amen.

Clouds of Hope

This week's BDC will be written by various young adults who went to the Clouds of Hope Orphanage this past weekend... Today's is written by Edgar Vergara.

FOCUS TEXT

Romans 5:1-8

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

DAILY BYTE

This past Friday a group of 21 young adults from Manning Road Methodist Church embarked themselves on a mission weekend to Clouds of Hope Orphanage in Underberg, South Africa. Those of us who attended this event were richly blessed. God surprised us in wonderful ways. Our hope as a group is to share with you the many blessings that we received from God through the Clouds of Hope children and caregivers as well as through each other.

Clouds of Hope is a place where God’s love is so evident and where God’s grace overflows. It is a place that welcomes children from all ages who have been orphaned as the result of HIV and AIDS. The children who live at Clouds of Hope have experienced so much suffering and pain. Yet, God’s love is so evident in their lives. Those of us who had the blessing of spending the weekend with these children can sincerely say that we were deeply touched by the sincere way in which these children express love.

Personally, I was blessed to see hope in the eyes of many of the children. As we shared Bible lessons with the children, as we played with them, as we sang and danced with them, we received much more than what we gave. The hope and love that these children shared with us blessed us greatly. But, how can children who have suffered so much, who have been abandoned and who have lost all they held dear, still hope? They hope because their hope is not the hope that this world has to offer. They hope because their hope flows from the heart of God. The hope that fills their life is the hope that God gives us through Jesus Christ, and that hope does not disappoint. It is God’s love that has been poured into their hearts by the Holy Spirit that fills their lives. The suffering that these wonderful children have experienced has produced in them the character of Christ and true hope has resulted from this process. It is this love that you and I must long for. It is this love that we must abide in and take refuge in. We must understand that suffering is part of this life. It is through suffering that God allows us to endure and it is through suffering that the character of Christ develops within us. It is Jesus Christ who is our hope, and that hope does not disappoint.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we praise you for Jesus Christ who is our hope. We ask you to help us endure the suffering that we find in this world. May the difficult situations that we go through produce the character of Jesus Christ within us and may he truly be our hope. Father, allow us to share true hope with those around us. We also pray for your forgiveness. Forgive us father for not hearing the voice for those who are in need. We especially pray for Clouds of Hope Orphanage, for the children and their caregivers. We pray for your provision over them. Father, pour your love in our hearts through your Holy Spirit. May your love be what defines who we are. Amen.

Leaps of Faith

DAILY BYTE

Throughout this week, we have been exploring the challenging journey of forgiveness. Forgiving others and ourselves means that we must learn to develop deep trust in the faithfulness of God. In the scripture from Exodus for today, Moses illustrates such a leap of faith beautifully. God tells Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea – to do a ridiculous, irrational thing. As he does it he dares to leave his heart unprotected, fully vulnerable. He is susceptible to looking like a brokenhearted fool, if the crazy scheme he heard from God doesn’t work.

But, we know the story. It is the theme of the entire scripture of God, as again and again we turn away. And again and again we are forgiven. We also see daily it in our own lives of forgiving and being forgiven. The waters part! God is faithful and makes a way for people to reach new life, walking together tediously and patiently through chaos and unpredictability on the way to a new land. It is the promised land away from imprisonment and slavery and closer to a new life of freedom in the heartland of God.

This land of South Africa is a land of truth and reconciliation. It is clearly an imperfect, often rocky, dirty, and treacherous land, but this is not just a land made of dirt and clay. In this land, we are able to live with freedom and hope through God’s forgiveness for all of us. We are made able to open our hearts and be vulnerable and reach for greater life than our imaginations can contain. An old Arab proverb states: Throw your heart out in front of you, and run ahead to catch it. Throw your heart out in front of you this week, as we learn, as fallible human beings to forgive and be forgiven by other people and by an immeasurably loving God. We do this with the promise of scripture that God is faithful and will part the waters of our struggle, leading us to a new promise of life in the heart of God.

PRAY AS YOU GO

We return at the end of this week to The Lord’s Prayer, where we began on Monday. As you pray this, keep in your heart that this is the prayer Jesus taught us to pray. This is the prayer that the body of Christ as been praying since some of the earliest stages of the church. As people who have been forgiven, we join together in this prayer with everyone who has prayed it in history. We are not alone. On the contrary, we are forgiven and we learn to forgive, as we join together with all people created and loved by God.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING

Exodus 14:19-22

The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

God’s job and our job

DAILY BYTE

Someone once said that forgiveness is ultimately selfish. We do it for ourselves, to clear our consciences and just, you know, come out the better person. Well, consider today that forgiveness is never just about us. Forgiveness is about God. And since it is about God, and we all live in one community, as equal children of God, forgiveness is not only the heart of God but it is the heart – the lifeblood of our lives together. And living together, obviously, and yet all too painfully, takes a lifetime. Our journey into the heart of God’s forgiveness is hard and sad and takes a long time.

With the week of September 11 around the corner again, I must say, it is with no small joy that I declare my thanks that I am in South Africa and not at home in the U.S. listening to “I’m proud to be an American” on repeat on the radio. But, two years after the tragedy of September 11, in 2003, when we were continuing on the path seeking after Osama bin Ladin, General Stormin’ Norman Schwarzkopf was asked whether, or not, we should forgive Bin Ladin. Stormin’ Norman replied, “Forgiveness is up to God. I just hope we hurry up the meeting.”

It seems that the Word of God speaks to Schwartzkopf’s difficult and somewhat disturbing statement that forgiveness is God’s role and that our role is to lead people to death so that they can meet God more quickly. Instead of leading us into war with one another, the scriptures lead us straight into the heart of God. We must ask, as we look at them – what is God’s role in this challenging journey of grief, lament, and healing forgiveness? What is our role in this journey together?

What do the scriptures say to us about who God is? And, what do the scriptures say to us about who God made us to be and calls us to be? Reflect for a moment today on the graciousness of our creator God. Reflect on how we have been created and how we are called by God to live together in community with one another and in relationship with the infinitely unselfish, forgiving God who made us.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Thank you, Lord that you are the creator, and we have been created by you in love, by love, and for love. We pray that you will teach us how to accept the forgiveness you have given us and continue to give to us every day. Help us learn to understand both the limits and possibilities of our humanity. Teach us more of who you are and who you have made us to be. And as we struggle through to this lifelong learning, help us to be patient with ourselves and others, having eyes to see and ears to hear the depths of your forgiving love. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING

Psalm 66

Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall vows be performed,O you who answer prayer! To you all flesh shall come. When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, you forgive our transgressions. Happy are those whom you choose and bring near to live in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple. By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation; you are the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas. By your strength you established the mountains; you are girded with might. You silence the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples. Those who live at earth's farthest bounds are awed by your signs; you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy. You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with richness. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

It’s Not About Just Being Nice

DAILY BYTE

When I was a little girl, I remember clearly my mother, father, and other elders navigating arguments between my brother and I. They usually went something like: “It was his fault!” “No, it was her fault!” And then, my mother mediating with a “Just say you’re sorry... No, say it like you mean it!” We are often taught from a young age that forgiveness must be immediately given and immediately accepted because that is the nice and fair way to operate. We’re also taught that it is socially acceptable to put on a happy face and pretend that nothing’s overtly wrong, even when underneath, we are navigating challenging and broken personal relationships and community dynamics that constantly need for us to be engaging in a journey toward forgiveness.

But, being a Christian is not about rushing to conclusions. Being a Christian is not about pretending to be something or someone that we are not. Being a Christian is about journeying a long path together. And that path miraculously and graciously draws us nearer and nearer to the heart of God’s forgiveness and nearer and nearer to one another.

It’s easy for us to think that we can temporarily ignore reflecting on the need for forgiveness, if we are not particularly angry with anyone at this point in time. But, perhaps, this is a poignant time in your life for you to be thinking about the need for us to forgive and be forgiven. Maybe someone was unfaithful to you in a relationship, hurt you physically, or just didn’t live up to expectations. Perhaps someone has wronged you in a way that you find simply unforgivable. Or maybe, you are finding it impossible to forgive yourself. I know no one who is free from these kinds of struggles.

A few months ago, I was sitting in a course on teaching Bible studies during my final semester of seminary. I was minding my own business and tuning in and out of the discussion led by my classmates on loving your enemies. The final exercise, as their forty-five minutes of Bible study fame wound down was for us all to write letters to the people we considered our enemies – the people we were unable to forgive. I thought to myself, well, I don’t have any big grudges – I generally get along with people. And then, I put the pencil to the paper, and out of the deepest corner of my heart popped a man who had wronged me indirectly through hurting my father. I sat paralyzed, unable even to write his name. My heart was numb, hard, guarded. I wondered, if I forgive him, does it mean that I’m condoning his behavior? Does it even matter, if I forgive him? I’ll probably never see him again... he may never find out. What’s the point of opening myself up to this pain again?

I wonder who is in the long hard process of forgiving you. I wonder whom you are trying to forgive. I wonder if you are blowing through life so quickly that you find it hard to take a moment and think about the status of your relationships and your community’s life.

And so, take a moment to be still today, even putting a pen to paper, if you need to. Pray over your relationships without avoidance and fear but with patience for the process of forgiveness and knowledge that God has already forgiven us all from the deepest part of God’s heart. If you wonder if there is a point to our forgiveness, take a few more moments to consider the overwhelming love that is all of ours through this heart of God. Choose today to receive it.

PRAY AS YOU GO

As you are still and thinking about those whom you need to forgive and those forgiving you, pray this prayer in conversation with God, knowing that all has already been forgiven.

Father, forgive them.
Father, forgive us.
Father, forgive.

SCRIPTURE READING

1 John 1:8 – 1 John 2:2

If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

The Heart of the Body

DAILY BYTE

The human body can seem like organized chaos. If you have ever been really ill or had an operation or known someone who was ill, you know that the body can be a churning mass of unpredictability. And sometimes when someone is unmercifully ill or overtaken by an addiction, we even say that they are imprisoned by their body.

I am known as a bit of a Typhoid Mary. In fact, my best friend jokes that if any sort of strange disease is within a fifty kilometer radius, I will be happy to give it a home in my body. In fact, just about two months ago, I was visiting the doctor for a routine check-up. I was listening to my heart on the pulse-ox monitor, and it was bouncing all over the place. I started avoiding the eyes of the nurse, trying to get myself to breathe deeply and evenly. But, I will never forget the moment when that heartbeat seemed to hesitate. It paused for just a hair too long and seemed to stop. Now, I’m usually a pretty tough cookie, but when the heart, the core that supplies life to our thinking and feeling and being – when that seemed to stop working the way the heart was made to work, my whole world was thrown into chaos. It was as though I was imprisoned by the thought that if something were wrong with my heart, I could actually be prevented from living the way that I believed God was calling me to live. Knowing that my grandfather died from a congenital heart defect, I was afraid that my source of life, could actually fail me.

It was, perhaps, a bit dramatic, given that I had yet even to go to the heart specialist, so all these scenarios of death and chaos might really have been just a little too much sun, a stressful day, and not enough breakfast – which they turned out to be, thankfully. But, we all know that often, it is a different story, and it was a crisis of faith for a young person who is all too aware that life is strangely short and that the heart is strangely necessary for the body to continue to live.

But this devotional is not really about anatomy. It is about what it means to be part of the body of Christ. We must ask: what is at the heart of this body? Where is the heart of God? Well, let me suggest today that the heart of God is found at the heart of a covenant – a promise – made with God’s people – you and me – thousands of years ago. It is a covenant founded on none other than forgiveness.

I wonder what we need to do to learn more about this covenant promise that God has with us in the body of Christ. I wonder what it means for your individual life and the life of the community in which you live that through God’s love, all of your sins have already been forgiven.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed – by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry, and we humbly repent. For the sake of your son Jesus Christ have mercy on us and forgive us that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways for the glory of your name through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING

Colossians 3:13-15

Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

A Deep Challenge at the Heart of God

DAILY BYTE

The argument

My best friend and I have only argued – really truly gotten so feisty that we told each other we should never speak about the topic again – once in the whole of our friendship. And I have known her for over ten years… Oh, it was a heck of an argument, and I remember it well...

We were sharing a flat over a summer during varsity, working at internships. And since we were students doing virtually unpaid jobs, this was, as you can imagine, a very small flat. Such close quarters seem either to make for extremely close friendships or worst enemies. But, she and I were like sisters, so while we had our tiffs, we usually managed graciously enough to forgive each other for the ways we daily stepped (sometimes literally) on each others’ toes. One day, however, we were getting ready to go out for dinner, doing the close quarters dance, weaving in and out of the bathroom, barely missing singeing one another with the curling iron, and for some unknown reason, she said, “You know, there are just some things that are unforgivable.” To which I replied, perhaps a bit too hastily, “No, no I don’t think there are. All sins are equal, and it’s not for us to decide what is forgivable and what is not.”

Ayayay. It was as though I had just pushed all of her buttons at once. You would’ve thought I had said, let’s go bungee jump off the Eiffel Tower while shooting off firecrackers from our hips, throwing peanuts to the crowd, and singing God Bless the USA. Her response was, “You’ve got to be kidding me... How can you possibly say that all sins are equal? Do you honestly think that we’re supposed to forgive people like Hitler for slaughtering thousands of people the same way that I forgive you for smudging toothpaste on my shirt?” Good question. At the time, I insisted that it may be hard, but of course we must forgive both sins the same way.

Unsurprisingly, she persisted: “So, you’re telling me that if people brutally killed my father, I should just forgive them? You’ve got to be joking – I would rather die.” To which I replied, as our debate heated up to scorching levels, “Well, that makes sense – because you would die. Your insides would fester from all of that built up animosity.” Once again, perhaps it wasn’t the most sensitive remark... Because finally, she said, “You know, I think we just should never talk about things like this, including politics and religion, ever again.”

Can you imagine best friends who could never talk about politics, religion, and the deeply troubling but all too real fact that in life we are on a constant journey of learning how to forgive? Who among us has never grappled with whether or not to forgive someone? Who has never needed the forgiveness of others?

I am hugely thankful that even though that dialogue with my best friend over five years ago led us to a conversational dead end, we are now in the process of learning to discuss these things together and listen to one another more carefully. We still disagree about many things, but I think we may be starting to realize that forgiveness on all levels is at the heart of what makes such relationships tick. And as all of us in every relationship belong to God, forgiveness seems to be what makes the heart of God tick, as well. This week we will be exploring the challenging, long journey of forgiveness. We acknowledge that it is difficult – perhaps even seeming impossible. And yet, we also acknowledge the life-giving power of this journey with one another and with God.

PRAY-AS-YOU-GO

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING

Matthew 18:21-22

Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

Jesus Prays for Us

FOCUS TEXT

John 17:17-26

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth. I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

DAILY BYTE

Today, as we conclude this week’stheme of prayer, let us reflect on the Lord’s prayer. No, I am not referring to the Lord’s Prayer that you and I know by heart and which is prayed collectively around the world. I am referring to the prayer of our Lord for his disciples. This is a prayer that is often overlooked and that is sadly underappreciated.

After talking to his disciples about the things that were to come (about his return to the Father, and about the Holy Spirit coming to lead us to all truth) Jesus prays for his disciples. In his prayer, Jesus essentially asks his Father for two things: Sanctification and unity. He prays for God to sanctify his disciples in truth, for God’s Word is truth.

Sanctification is defined as being set apart, consecrated, and made holy. Jesus prays for his disciples to be made holy so that as they minister to the world, the Word of truth will flow fluently through them. Jesus also, prays for unity. You and I must pay close attention to this part of Jesus’ prayer. Jesus says, “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.” In this portion of this prayer, Jesus is specifically praying for you and I. What a wonderful thought! Jesus, the Son of God, the one who has redeemed us, the one through whom and for whom all things were made, prayed for us! You and I and millions of others around the world and throughout history, people who have already left this earth and people who are yet to be born, have believed and will believe through the words of the disciples. Thus, Jesus prayed for you and me. That is why we must pay close attention to his prayer. We must learn from its words and pray ourselves what Jesus prayed. Jesus asks his Father for us to be made one just like Jesus and the Father are one.

Think about it. One of the main factors that discourage people from attending church is the lack of unity they see. It is quite a paradox that Christianity is a religion whose core is love and forgiveness, and yet it is arguably the most divided religion one can find. Also, if we think about our local congregations, we will also find divisions and schisms present there. Jesus prayed for us to be one. Why? So that the world would believe that God sent him to the world. Jesus prayed for his disciples to be sanctified by the Father in truth so that they would minister to the world. You and I are disciples of Jesus. We must hear this call to be sanctified, to set ourselves apart for God, so that having God at the center of our lives, we can become one. It is only in unity within the body of Christ, within our local congregations that we will be able to effectively proclaim the love of God for this world.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Father, we pray like Jesus prayed. Sanctify us in your truth so that we can communicate your true Word with those around us. Help us be one, like you and your Son Jesus are one. Help us be one in you. Help us make you the center of our lives and of our congregations so that the world will believe that you sent your Son into the world because of your love. Amen.