Monday - October 24, 2022
Thomas Riggs
READING
From the hymn I Sing a Song of the Saints of God
I sing a song of the saints of God,
patient and brave and true,
who toiled and fought and lived and died
for the Lord they loved and knew.
And one was a doctor, and one was a queen,
and one was a shepherdess on the green;
they were all of them saints of God, and I mean,
God helping, to be one too.
WORDS OF HOPE
As we walked through the cavernous Sanctuary and ornate chapels of Westminster Abbey, I could not help but feel small and insignificant among the saints, royalty, musicians, philanthropists, soldiers, and theologians who are honored and buried there. Going back over a thousand years, this magnificent structure and its inhabitants called my spirit forth.
We happened into the Abbey at the hour of noonday Eucharist, so we sat down and prayed ancient words that had been spoken in this space for hundreds of years. Our prayers echoed throughout the hall and harmonized with the saints who had gone before us and who would come after us.
In his homily, the priest talked about the current Christian martyrs of Syria and Iraq. He was shortly to travel there and bring strength and comfort to this persecuted Christian community. Again, my spirit was called forth, but this time looking into the present and the future, instead of the past.
Bernard of Chartres said that “we are like dwarves perched on the shoulders of giants, and thus we are able to see more and farther than the latter. And this is not at all because of the acuteness of our sight or the stature of our body, but because we are carried aloft and elevated by the magnitude of the giants.”
There are so many to whom we owe a huge debt. The theologians like Martin Luther, John Calvin, C.S. Lewis, Karl Barth, Desmond Tutu, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The social justice fighters like Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Fredrick Douglas, Rosa Parks, John Lewis, Mildred and Richard Loving, Marsha P. Johnson, Harvey Milk, Sylvia Rivera and Jim Obergefell.
And then there are the multitude of saints who do not have recognizable names, but who have faithfully “toiled and fought and lived and died for the Lord they loved and knew”. Our families, our friends, benefactors of our church, mentors, teachers, and saints who worked behind the scenes.
Who are some of the “giants” on whose shoulders we stand? While it is true that our challenge is to live and labor in the present with an eye to the future, it is also the case that we cannot faithfully do that without knowing about those on whose shoulders we stand and who have paved the way that has enabled us to be where we are.
PRAYER
O God, by your Holy Spirit, you have made us one with your saints in heaven and on earth: Grant that in our earthly pilgrimage we may always be supported by this fellowship of
love and prayer, and know ourselves to be surrounded by their witness to your power and mercy. Amen.
DEVOTION AUTHOR
Thomas Riggs
Need More Inspiration? Read our Daily Devotions
SCRIPTURE Habakkuk 1: 1-3 How long oh Lord, must I cry out for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you “VIOLENCE” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife and conflicts abound. WORDS OF HOPE One evening after watching a news report where folks were being arrested at a peaceful demonstration, I literally said out loud, “Really God, where are you during this absolute insanity of injustice? Are you just going to idly sit by and let the destruction happen?” I wondered if I could stay where I am, keep the faith and maintain my calm. While researching the Bible for the answers, I discovered it’s full of folks who felt the same way and found this current situation in our world is really nothing new. In my quest for biblical support, I found solidarity and optimism in the story of Habakkuk. He wrestled with this problem as all around him injustice and fear were running rampant. He too was infuriated by how the wicked always seemed to prosper. He felt like God was just hanging out, doing nothing about all the evil happening around him, and after all, wasn’t that God’s job! So, he cried out as well and petitioned God to do something and stop the chaos. It’s a remarkable story about faith, patience, and God’s timing. In the end, God declares he will deal with evil and restore justice. Habakkuk learns to trust God and live by faith, even in the face of adversity. His experience reminds us though the world may be filled with evil and suffering, God's ultimate plan of justice will triumph even when things seem uncertain or difficult. This includes both the punishment of the wicked and the restoration of the righteous. While I unequivocally believe God will prevail, I am just wondering…..God, could you please hurry? PRAYER Creator God of ALL, give us the stamina to maintain our faith, the courage to stand up to adversity and the wisdom to know your word will prevail! In Jesus name, Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donna Jackson
SCRIPTURE Proverbs 26:20 NIV Without wood a fire goes out. WORDS OF HOPE The Serenity of Silence Today is Juneteenth, the day slaves in Texas finally learned they were free long after the end of the chaos of the Civil War. Today many African Americans gather in silent prayer to honor the occasion. Silence is not the absence of chaos but the presence of control. Rage is chaotic, so too is lust; neither of which need sound to be present. To quiet the storms in our hearts, we need only bring order to the confusion. One can stay silent only by showing restraint. A teacher should instruct by considering what she or he says. Every manner of thought passes through the mind, every kind of emotion is felt in the heart, but if each thought were said and every emotion expressed, then even in sleep there would be no rest. Silence bridals the tongue and reins in the heart. It does not always stop the fire within, but it keeps the fire from spreading. Consider silence when you do not know what to say. It is better to say nothing than it is to say the wrong thing. How good it is to sleep in peace. It is hard to sleep under a bridge while a train is passing by. Likewise, let your words offer the listener rest and try your best not to argue. Anger without control ruins relationships but anger with control sees the end of it. There are times when we cannot stay silent, for a pot will boil over if the lid is kept on for too long. However, if we are patient and wise, then we will choose the manner in which we speak and the time. Many monks meditate in silence. Some have found silence so valuable that they even take a vow of silence, meaning that they live their entire lives without speaking. Perhaps, this is the reason why they never go to war. How can there be a fire with nothing to burn or how can there be an argument without words? Quiet places are quite peaceful. There is music all around us, and we can hear it only if we are listening. PRAYER Gentle Spirit, Teach us wisdom. Help us to understand. Some of us do not know peace. Grant us the serenity of silence. Let our minds be at rest and our hearts be still. Bless You, for always making a way. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Daniel 1: 11-16 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So, the guard took away their choice of food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. WORDS OF HOPE During the Babylonian exile, the Hebrews adopted a lot of customs and learnings from the Babylonians. This story of Daniel, the same one who was rescued from the “lion’s den” is one I never really examined, but it contains an interesting nutritional observation. Daniel, in his quest to keep what we now call the Kosher Laws refused to eat the food provided and insisted on a diet of simple vegetables and water. Not surprisingly after a few weeks, he was healthier than the others who had been eating what was most likely non-kosher meals and meat, I would guess pork. It’s a biblical argument for a vegetarian diet, but more importantly, it is an illustration of how Daniel followed his traditions as the others adopted those of the Babylonians. Not everything about a new culture is positive, nor is it negative. It is just new, and as such may or may not be a good thing. The story reminds me to be open to new experiences and ideas but to not discard all my old ones. After all the old ones got me this far. PRAYER May we always be open to new ideas yet still be guided by God’s grace and wisdom. DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
SCRIPTURE Proverbs 13.10 Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. James 3.17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Sirach 11:1,3 The wisdom of the humble lifts their head high. The bee is small among flying creatures, but what it produces is the best of sweet things. WORDS OF HOPE There is so much speculation, so much misinformation, so many outright lies floating around our multitude of news sources these days, we long for some good old-fashioned words of wisdom. Where do we find it? You and I should both know the answer to that: The wisdom literature of the Bible, both in the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures of the Protestant Bible, and in the Apocryphal books of the Roman Catholic version. Sirach is one of the best known of these books. The words are from the great wisdom teacher, Ben Sira. But wisdom, even then, came with a price. Here it is clear that Ben Sira was teaching a group of young men who probably were more privileged in society. Their families may have had enough wealth that the boys got better schooling and were not forced directly into the common labor market. It would have been quite natural that they might fall into the sticky grip of pride; especially, when speaking or teaching other men of less means. However, the danger of pride is not limited to them. How can it affect us today? The character trait of humility is based upon proper acceptance of who we really are and of valid respect for the worth of the other person's life and knowledge. The Psalms and Proverbs are filled with many admonitions for humility, and it was a major trait given example in the life of Jesus. Certainly, it is not a character trait which is given much value by today's onslaught of self-promotional behavior. However curious enough, humility when linked with wisdom is an admired trait when seen in the life of a deceased person. Who gives much honor to the person whose eulogy states that he was an arrogant fool? However, the humble departed soul is revered and remembered for the acts and words of kindness by which that person showed respect for others. The essence of wisdom boils down to a valid acceptance of the equal worth of every human. That’s how God views all of us, worthy of divine love; why can’t we see others as God does? PRAYER Creator of all, help us to remember that the wisest among us are also the humblest. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Ephesians 4:1-3 (The Message) In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. WORDS OF HOPE Get Going and Use the Gifts You’ve Got! The writings of the Apostle Paul come alive in this contemporary paraphrase of the New Testament by American pastor, Eugene Peterson. There is an importance, an urgency to these words. They call us to the task of living out our journey on the path that the early disciples simply named, “The Way.” It is the path God calls you to travel. Where does that road go? It is a journey that is unique for everyone, yet similar. Whatever our gifts, we are to “pour ourselves out for each other in acts of love.” We are admonished to see beyond differences and quickly mend fences. Wow! Does that sound relevant and needed today! Verses 4-6 continue, “You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.” Then, just when you think Paul’s message is describing some overly homogenized social melting pot, there is verse 7: “But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift.” You may be struggling right now, but don’t ever succumb to the falsehood that you don’t have gifts that this world needs. Cultivate the discipline of a grateful heart. Offer loving kindness to someone who is ignored or rejected. Be the hands and feet of Christ through service, compassion, speaking up, and taking a stand when it matters. We can’t fix everything or save everyone. God doesn’t expect us to. God expects us to use the gifts we were given to bring hope and light to troubled people in tough places. Get going, and remember to use the gifts you’ve got! PRAYER Dear Jesus who loves us, help us we pray, to use what we have, be who we are, and follow Your Way. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Rev. Dr. Gary Kindley Pastoral Psychotherapist drgk.org
SCRIPTURE Matthew 19:13-14 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” WORDS OF HOPE Images of child labor populate the fiction of Romantic and Victorian England in works such as William Blake’s “The Chimney Sweeper” and several of Charles Dickens’ novels including David Copperfield. With the surge of industrialization, children often had their innocence stolen by harsh, abusive, and perilous situations. While his father was in debtors’ prison, Dickens himself worked 10 to 12 hours a day, separated from his family in unhealthy conditions in Warren Blacking Factory. In his autobiography he described the place as "a crazy, tumbledown house with rotten floors and staircase, dirty and decaying, with rats swarming down in the cellar.” https://editions.covecollective.org/content/memory-trauma-and-poverty-child-labor-charles-dickenss-david-copperfield Today, World Day against Child Labor, tragically highlights that this deplorable situation still exists across the globe. Though the UN adopted a goal of ending child labor by 2025, some 160 million youth are subject to the practice, some of the worst manifestations of which are slavery, forced labor, trafficking, and the recruitment of children in military service. * In the US in 2025, states are going in both directions—with some strengthening protections and others loosening. For example, in January Illinois limited the number of hours that children and youth can work during a school week to 18 and blacklisted certain types of employment: cannabis dispensaries, the adult entertainment industry, gambling establishments, and gun ranges. **As well, harsher penalties for violations will be enforced. On the other hand, according to the Economic Policy Institute, lawmakers this year proposed legislation in Florida, Kentucky, and Ohio that would undermine federal laws on child labor, minimum wage, and worker health and safety protections. “These proliferating state challenges to federal law are laying the groundwork for more extreme and dangerous Project 2025 proposals to allow employers across the country to hire children for hazardous jobs or to allow states to opt out of various federal labor standards like the minimum wage.”*** Texas child labor policies are actually quite extensive and can be found at the link below.**** EPI lists Texas as one of 14 states which had enacted stronger policies for protection in the years 2021-2024, but did not list specific ways for the states. Of course, enforcement of the statutes is crucial. Given the weak enforcement of safety in the foster care system, neglect in labor enforcement might be suspected as well. Deitrich Bonhoeffer once said that “the test of the morality of a civilization is what it does for its children.” The young are one of our most vulnerable populations and more easily controlled and exploited. Any endangerment or violation of them--physically, psychologically, mentally, spiritually-- should wound us all and stir us to justice seeking. Jesus reserved some of his harshest statements for those who harmed children: In Matthew 18: 6 he asserts, “If anyone causes one of these little ones…to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Let all who have ears, let them hear and take heed. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon *https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/un-calls-for-urgent-action-as-world-misses-2025-goal-to-end-child-labour **https://www.newsweek.com/child-labor-laws-changed-five-states-2008126 ***https://www.epi.org/blog/coordinated-attacks-on-state-labor-standards-are-laying-the-groundwork-for-dangerous-project-2025-proposals-to-undermine-all-workers-rights/ ****https://www.twc.texas.gov/sites/default/files/fdcm/docs/whcl-75s-twc.pdf