Thursday - June 22, 2023

SCRIPTURE Romans 16:17-20 from The Message One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth. They have no intention of living for our Master Christ. They’re only in this for what they can get out of it, and aren’t above using pious sweet talk to dupe unsuspecting innocents. And so while there has never been any question about your honesty in these matters—I couldn’t be more proud of you!—I want you also to be smart, making sure every “good” thing is the real thing. Don’t be gullible in regard to smooth-talking evil. Stay alert like this, and before you know it the God of peace will come down on Satan with both feet, stomping him into the dirt. Enjoy the best of Jesus!  WORDS OF HOPE These words from Paul to the Romans, likely written around 57 A.D., feel like they were written for us today. Particularly as the political season is ramping up, we are being bombarded with statistics, stories, and promises, many of which are deceitful…and many of which are not. As with most things in life, it is up to us to study and be true to what fills our heart and mind and to what our faith teaches us, when we make decisions, decisions of any kind. We don’t want to fall victim to “smooth-talking evil.” The biggest warning in Paul’s message is, “Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble.” There are those who will quote bits and pieces of Scripture, usually taken out of context, as if the Bible is a buffet line from which we can pick and choose to consume only what we like whether it tells a well-balanced story or not. Those who do this hope that they can lure us in with a few familiar words but hoping we aren’t listening carefully enough to realize that they are actually working for the good of themselves and not for the God of All. There is no question that words are powerful. We do need to listen carefully; but Jesus tells us that we also need to keep our eyes open and watch what is going on around us. In Matthew 7:15-21, Jesus says, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” The short summary of both the words of Jesus and those of Paul to the Romans…actions speak louder than words. For us that means listen carefully, but watch more closely those around us. The right choices, the right path are there in front of us, but often it is the narrow one, the dimly lit one, the most challenging one. If, however, we choose this one, in the end we will “enjoy the best of Jesus.” PRAYER Dear God, open my ears and my eyes to what is true, and right, and good in your sight. Sharpen my senses such that, with your help, I can discern the true path to You. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare

SCRIPTURE Psalm 130:5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in God’s word I put my hope. WORDS OF HOPE That Which Remains (A Poem for the International Day of Peace) I’ve been so focused on the future these days. Because we’ve been leaving the old ones behind. And everyone it seems has buried the same loved one– When children weren’t going hungry because Parents could send their kids to school and know That they’d have two meals waiting for them. And when summer was something everyone looked Forward too; when the sun didn’t smite the land or our cheeks. When did the dollar become so important That we’d become savage just to attain it? And when did we decide to just sit back and watch As evil men fought for dominancy over the planet Leaving us to pick up the pieces and bury our countrymen? But I had to wake up This morning And see a beautiful sunrise, The promise of a new flock of baby birds Testing their wings for the first time. Now, they’ll have to discover how to find food. And they know nothing of the world that was before them. There’s something in that, I think– In the beauty and innocence of not knowing. How is it that the birds still know how to Live… Is it because the young are unspoiled by past and future, When today is entirely new and different, Unbeholden to loss when they’re just finding? Shall we, too, become young again If only to find Today… PRAYER Gentle Spirit, May we never forget or take for granted, Holding sacred this most precious life that allows us to live out your love each day. Living not merely for our bread, but the holy Bread of Christ–in water and Spirit and never… To thirst again. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE 1 John 3: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts and God knows everything.  WORDS OF HOPE Immediately after realizing a mistake had occurred, I wrapped myself in guilt which led straight to shame, remorse, then followed by unease. The culmination of emotions literally ran in tandem under 60 seconds where I could feel myself leaning into a big pool of self-blame! It’s easy to see how our hearts become myopic and only focus on one thing, usually it’s the one thought we need to release and move on. However, the Bible says our hearts are the seat of our emotions carrying thoughts and consciousness. It can and often does reflect our innermost feelings of joy or deep sorrow. This same amazing heart can spin on a dime and catapult us into condemnation where guilt and self-doubt take center stage to snatch us away from our inner peace. That’s when we begin to question our worthiness with thoughts of failure. Guilt and shame drop quickly like an impenetrable barrier between our peace working overtime to assure us we are beyond God’s grace let alone anyone else’s. Fortunately, while we may be short -sighted, God is still present, ready to quelch any feeling of doubt or fear of being unworthy. In the scripture, John reminds us even when we stumble Gods knowledge and all-encompassing love sees beyond any missteps and offers up the real truth, “God’s love is greater than any outside circumstances that bring conflict to our inner soul”. While our human hearts can only see the situation in front of us, Gods love is relentless, unyielding, and marked by compassion. When we find ourselves in the depths of failure, God reminds us to seek mercy, ask for grace and receive the promise of everlasting love. Once we allow God to calm our hearts, our attention to the promise of peace can be recalled and embraced. PRAYER Gracious God of mercy, forgiveness and hope, let us have the same love and grace towards ourselves and each other as you have for us. In Jesus name, Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donna Jackson

SCRIPTURE Psalm 118.24  "This is the day our God has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." [and rejoice in the opportunities you give me today to be present with you, my Lord, in times of ministry and quiet with you.] (expanded) WORDS OF HOPE "This is the day our God has made." As you start each day, take a few minutes to focus on this special blessing which is offered to you. Life itself is a divine gift which is freely given to you. Neither you nor anyone else could open up the next 24 hours of life for your experience. In all truth, the next few hours are your most valuable asset. Without the promise of a new day, you wouldn't exist. Many people wander through day after day and fail to realize the value of those hours. The most valuable way to start each morning is to take a few minutes and center yourself by orienting your thoughts toward the blank canvas of time which lies ahead. You won't be able to control events in much of it, and there will be moments of emotional ups and downs. But remember, it is God which offers you this new day. Give thanks for this opportunity to live through these 24 hours and remember that you are alive in God's good will. Early each morning as you think about the canvas of life before you, meet that day with joy! Often people approach the new day with anxiety or disgust about probable events or interactions with certain people. That immediately throws a cloud of fear over everything, even dulling good interactions. That attitude paints the whole day in somber or dark shadows. God, who is giving you this new day, wants you to encounter it with joy; a joy which paints your next 24 hours in vibrant colors. So, what is the basis of that joy? It is your expectation that in this new day you can be assured that God's loving presence will be manifested in your experiences! What might you discover about yourself? What might be the impact of your action for the good of others? Remember: God is totally good and does not plan that you will be hurt. Look for how God will guide and provide for you. Sometimes, we have days that seem to have little or no value, empty days. Are these times when you seem to lose the expectation of recognizing God's actions in your life? Start each morning with this affirmation: PRAYER I expect that God will be present and active in my life this day. This is the day our God has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE 2 Kings2:15-18 When the company of prophets who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. They said to him, “See now, we have fifty strong men among your servants; please let them go and seek your master; it may be that the spirit of the Lord has caught him up and thrown him down on some mountain or into some valley.” He responded, “No, do not send them.” But when they urged him to the point of embarrassment, he said, “Send them.” So, they sent fifty men who searched for three days but did not find him. When they came back to him (he had remained at Jericho), he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”  WORDS OF HOPE This story reminds me of many times when I was a child. Living in Texas, summer heat is a fact of life. It changes our daily activities in sometimes subtle and often profound ways. I remember one day, with the temperature in the triple digits I asked my mother if I could go outside and play. She knew I would be safe in our back yard, but admonished me, “Stay off the slide today, It’s going to be too hot to slide on.” And soon I was off to join my friends who had come over and we all began some kind of silly game in the backyard. Eventually, we hit the swing set and were swinging and laughing. One of my favorite things to do was to slide down the small slide attached to the swing set, and before long I climbed the rungs to the top. Wearing shorts and flip-flops, I jumped up and sat down on the slide and was soon sliding down the hot metal surface. By the time I reached the bottom, my legs and calves had been seared on the hot steel, and I yelled and began crying. My mother heard this and when she approached me and said, “Did I not tell you not to get on the slide?” Sometimes we are stubborn just like Elisha’s followers. We often only learn from experience, even though we have been given wise advice. PRAYER May I learn to heed the advice of those who are wiser and more experienced than myself, and if I fail to do so, may I learn the lesson with a minimum of pain. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman