Monday, Day 2: The with-God life
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.” Luke 1:68
Thought: Unredeemed gifts are wasted graces
When you reflected on the snapshot(s) of your with-God life yesterday were you given a new way to see? Imagery is a powerful perspective changer… seeing God’s smile on our successes or God’s compassion in our pain are gifts that have a powerful effect on us; spirit, soul and body. When our lives are experienced or remembered with knowledge of God’s presence, grace enters the story. Recollecting those memories with our Redeeming God gives us an opportunity to ask “what is Your gift in this”?
Practice: What time in your life have you had a hard time believing that God was with you? Does it seem impossible that God can redeem this part of your story and offer you gifts? Allow images of the past (with-God) to stay with you today and notice the new gifts God is giving on this very day. Journal or talk to a spiritual friend about what you are experiencing. What is the gift in your story that God wants you to begin opening? Unredeemed gifts are wasted graces.
Prayer: God of gentle and persistent grace, allow me to see the gifts of my story from the past and the present. I chose to open the gifts as I see you give them to me. These gifts are a part of my with-God stories… my redemption story. “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. Amen
Bluebook (Lectionary) Reading: Luke 5:1-25, 57-80
To listen to the with-God life online
http://ccmonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=362:wwogod&catid=60:message-series