Thursday - February 23, 2023

SCRIPTURE Luke 1:38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. WORDS OF HOPE She said yes!! These are words we usually hear from an engagement proposal and in this circumstance, it was Mary, who out of complete blind faith, said “YES” to Gods call. Mary, an ordinary girl, planning a wedding with her fiancé, took a huge leap of faith, trusting Gods word when it was the most uncomfortable. She responded to the angel, “let it be according to your word” then a messenger appeared with the news, and she agreed to have a child that would literally change the course of mankind. She had unwavering faith in a God she had never seen yet knew the moment she leaned into that faith; all would be well. I personally believe I have faith, I say I practice faith and assure others walking in faith is the ultimate connection to God. Yet Mary’s faith is a stark contrast to anything I could ever imagine. Mary simply “believed God” and that was enough for her. She was an ordinary woman who set her heart toward godly purpose. God’s Word became more important than her comfort, more powerful than doubt, ridicule, shame, or loneliness. Mary’s unwavering faith continued when there was no place to give birth, bright stars lit up the skies and kings showed up to worship the child with gifts of gold. Little did she know her faith would take a different course at the eventual sacrifice of this child’s life. The theory of faith is easy to follow, while living in faith is challenging. Surrendering to live as a vessel for God, holding onto an unbelievable promise, no matter what the outcome, is the ultimate expression of faith. It points out that our purpose is to be filled by a divine power that will enable us to carry out God's plans and be conduits spreading Gods love. It’s so awe-inspiring to know a self-sufficient God would deliberately choose us to serve. PRAYER God, just like Mary, teach us to trust in you when we least understand, believing the blessing will ultimately overshadow the cost. In Jesus name. Amen  DEVOTION AUTHOR Donna Jackson

READING Zechariah 8:16-17 These are the things that you shall do: speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace, do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these are things that I hate, says the Lord.” WORDS OF HOPE The Prophet Zechariah is speaking to the people of Israel and about God’s promise to restore Jerusalem. It is something many of the Old Testament prophets speak of, Rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem and a return to the glory days of that city. He also gives some advice for people and it’s very similar to the advice given by Jesus. He admonishes people to seek justice, speak truth and make peace. A very simple message with a very simple goal. It’s the same goal and advice we receive from the Ten Commandments and considering Jesus was a Jew it’s not surprising that his teachings were similar. Essentially these words offer a framework for living a good life and creating a healthy community. They are words that are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. Perhaps if we took this to heart we could really bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. PRAYER May we listen to the words of the prophets and take their advice for living a good life to heart. In that way, may we find peace, happiness and abundant life. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman

SCRIPTURE  Jude 17-25 But you, beloved, must remember the words previously spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, for they said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts.” It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions. But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; look forward to the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on some who are wavering; save others by snatching them out of the fire; and have mercy on still others with fear, hating even the tunic defiled by their bodies. Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. WORDS OF HOPE If ever there was a set of instructions for being a Christian, there is no doubt in my mind that this part of the epistle of Jude would be included. What stands out to me? It’s their somewhat simple direct instruction on how to deal with having mercy. There is a reflection of the prayer, we call the Our Father. In that prayer, it says, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. In this passage, we are told to look forward to the mercy of Jesus when he comes and have mercy to others. Specifically hear the mercy is to be shown, it seems, to those who are having trouble accepting or understanding Jesus‘ message. And all of this opens with a warning about those who will not listen to the message at all and who scoff and cause the division. The epistle of Jude was not written specifically to any one group as were, for example the letters to the Romans or the Galatians. And as such, it is not geared towards any specific issue or a problem that one group of Christians is having. It is meant to build up all Christians. The last part of this letter which is the last of the entire epistle, is referred to as a doxology. A small, short prayer praising God. For me, it is one of those verses from the Bible that is short, to the point, and makes an excellent focal point for meditating on the word. PRAYER Merciful Savior. We revel in your mercy and we live in your forgiveness. Help to keep us from falling; help to remove the blemishes of sin that we might have so that we can indeed be in the presence of your glory with rejoicing Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare

SCRIPTURE  Acts 5:14-15 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. WORDS OF HOPE Buried within this story from Acts chapter five is a quiet, extraordinary beauty—a hidden gem of Scripture that invites us to pause, reflect, and discover the deeper wonders often overlooked. The stories of ‘signs and wonders’ being done had made Peter and the other apostles popular among the people. The positivity of their ministry and their miraculous acts not only made them visible but brought others into their community of believers. And so moved by the stories and rumors of healing, people carried out their loved ones to the street, hoping that Peter’s mere shadow would pass over them. In Hebrew thought, the “shadow” can represent the presence of someone powerful and sacred. Just as touching a high priest’s robe or other objects could mediate God’s blessing, so too the shadow symbolized an indirect contact with holiness and healing. Such extraordinary faith in the blessings passed down through human agents gave hope and healing in a hopeless and sick world. The apostles, being the conduits of God’s blessings, confirmed that the message of Jesus was true. It was the combination of God’s power and the faith of the people that brought such blessing to ones who so desperately needed it. All from a mere shadow. As you hear and digest this hidden truth, think about the people around you and even the chance people whom you will pass along the way. People and situations that so much need a shadow to pass by. Just as Peter’s shadow was a conduit for God, our very lives, actions, and witness can channel God’s blessings to others when aligned with Him. A person known to me refuses to let their feet hit the floor before they are done praying for the loved ones in their lives and for the places in which they will find themselves that day. Then, they move gracefully through the day, being ever more keenly aware of how their ‘shadow’ is bringing love, peace, healing, and blessing. How can our shadows bring healing this day? How can we be a channel of blessing today? PRAYER Lord, May our lives, like the Apostles’ shadows, carry Your presence, healing, and blessing to those around us. Help us walk today with faith, bringing comfort, hope, and Your love in every step. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs

SCRIPTURE Psalm 25:1-5 (New English Translation) O LORD, I come before you in prayer. My God, I trust in you. Please do not let me be humiliated; do not let my enemies triumphantly rejoice over me. Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated. Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted and humiliated. Make me understand your ways, O LORD. Teach me your paths. Guide me into your truth and teach me. For you are the God who delivers me; on you I rely all day long. WORDS OF HOPE “Which One Are You?” It was simply a loving mother and her teenage daughter who were taking a drive to the big city, but it was a trip that would be life changing. They lived in a small, East Texas town, and were driving to Dallas so that the daughter could participate in a group for transgender youth sponsored by Resource Center Dallas. The Resource Center supports LGBTQIA+ people with safe places, friendly faces, supportive programs, healthcare, and housing. The daughter was transgender. Transgender persons are our neighbors, siblings, teachers, athletes, first responders, clergy, physicians, soldiers, artists, laborers and other everyday people whose physical gender differs from their own gender identity and experience. They live, laugh, dream and cry as do most any human. And like most human beings, they long for acceptance, understanding, respect, and to be treated equally and fairly. Bullies and closed-minded people are their greatest threat. Rev. Dr. Walter Brueggemann was a beloved pastor, esteemed Bible scholar, prolific author, and a prophetic voice. He wrote the devotional book, “Celebrating Abundance,” that we read for Advent last year here at Cathedral of Hope. In it he quoted from Psalm 25 and observed that there are three kinds of people: Those who know too much. Those who expect nothing. And those who know what to expect but do not know when. Those who know too much are consumed with shaping the world in their preferred image. For them, things should be according to their narrow norm and in compliance with their religious beliefs. Anyone who looks, thinks, behaves or believes differently than their definition of “normal” is to be stifled, suppressed or, better yet, considered invisible and eliminated. Brueggemann writes: “They know too much and reduce God’s freedom to the timetable of their ideology.” [p. 36] Those who expect nothing are comfortable in their own ideas and affluence. They do not expect the Gospel to be made real and are simply annoyed by those spouting timetables or rigid expectations and requirements for salvation. Then there are those who know what to expect but do not know when. They know from the teachings of Jesus that love of neighbor is the core of the Gospel, and apart from that we cannot truly love God or follow in the path of Christ to bring about a just society (the realm of God). They know this is true, but don’t know when it will be realized. So, this Advent, we live and act with the abundance of God’s Grace, the mercy of God’s love, and the hopeful expectancy that Christ brought into the world. Christmas is coming and it is more than a day to be celebrated, but a reality to model and live into for all the world to see. PRAYER Come, Holy Spirit, and so touch the hearts and lives of both doubters and believers that justice may roll down like waters, and abundant grace might wash away our scarcity of thinking, living, loving and sharing. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Rev. Dr. Gary Kindley Pastoral Psychotherapist drgk.org