Wednesday - December 28, 2023

SCRIPTURE Psalm 62:5 My soul, wait only upon God; for my expectation is from God WORDS OF HOPE Fall teaches us about expectations. In Texas every year we are filled with hope that September will bring us cooler weather (maybe lower 80's or something so we can enjoy outdoors in comfort). We long for September 22 to arrive and bring us Autumn that is longed for after our steamy summer! Those of us who have lived in Texas all our lives know better! But Facebook has made it worse. The beautiful fall pictures cause us to long for that coolness and beauty of Autumn. But we also fail to remember the reason we live in Texas is to keep us from suffering brutal winters in those places that have beautiful autumn scenes! Life's let downs are usually from expectations we have built up. Expectations can lead to disappointment, but it is important to remember that this is a natural human experience. Setting realistic expectations, managing our control, and avoiding comparisons, can minimize the likelihood of disappointment and embrace the unexpected turns of life. Expecting complete happiness is not realistic. But working on planting joy in our life and soul can sustain us when life brings circumstances that can dampen happiness. Maybe by the end of October or in November we will have some desirable temperatures. By December we may even have some days of pretty Autumn color! But by then our expectations will probably be focused on Christmas! So, enjoy the pictures on Facebook, if you can't take a fall leaf viewing tour! And remember why you live in the South! Try not to covet other areas’ weather! PRAYER  God of all good things, help us to be careful of our expectations! Help us find reality in our expectations! You bless us with so many things. Help us be more thankful. Help us enjoy the part of our world where we are! DEVOTION AUTHOR Jan Nunn

SCRIPTURE  And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. - Colossians 1:9-10 WORDS OF HOPE In a recent video chat meeting, my spouse and I met with a couple of friends over video chat to get some advice on a decision that we were considering. We did our research before the call, brought lots of questions to the forum, shared our own perspective on the situation, and then listened carefully to the information they shared and the advice they proffered. It was a very encouraging conversation, and our two friends were very nurturing and understanding. It was not only a good source of information, but a bit of a therapy session as well. At the end of the call, one of our friends offered something we were not expecting. They offered to pray with us. With a gentle voice and connected spirit, she prayed for us, our situation, and for protection and guidance. It had been some time since someone offered to pray for me and her voice and her prayer were a balm. Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1:9-12 reminds us of just how deeply intercessory prayer can shape things. A prayer that not only asks for help but asks God to transform hearts and minds, so that we can more honestly follow Her. Just as our friend prayed for a ‘circle of protection’, Paul’s prayer reminds us that life’s challenges require God’s might, inviting His power into our daily life and the lives of those we love. It’s a reminder that strength, endurance, and joy are both empowering and sustaining. And then our friend’s prayer pointed to gratitude. I think she knew that when we pray for others, we focus not just on needs or difficulties, but on God’s blessing and purpose. Like Paul, her prayer was intentional – praying for us to know God’s wisdom, protection, perseverance, and joy and encouraging us to have a heart of thankfulness. This is how we are to pray for others. Prayer is both a gift to God’s people and an invitation for God’s participation in the work of their lives. PRAYER A prayer from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with your most gracious favor, and further us with your continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in you, we may glorify your holy Name, and finally, by your mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs

SCRIPTURE Psalm 46. 1-3 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. WORDS OF HOPE Dear God, Hear us. Fear is all around and rage abounds more than mercy. These hearts have hardened. We would never love our enemies now. We are in so much pain for all that we have lost, losing more and more each and every day. I remember a time when things were simple. We knew who our enemies were. Now, many don’t realize that we’re fighting ourselves. Open our eyes to see wisdom again–to love our enemies without sacrificing our freedom. To resist evil but never ignore it. And to heal. We are sick with grief and sick of grieving. We are oppressed on every side. The meals no longer satisfy when the children go hungry. The nights are robbed of peace with the sounds of bombs exploding overseas. And joy, could we feel it without feeling ashamed, for many are falling all around us. Wake us up Lord, bring us to our senses! We should not be fighting each other! We should not be asleep at the gates! Oh, how we lament… Remember your people, oh God, for the flock scatters and goes its own way in want of a shepherd. Remember your people, and save us from ourselves. Amen. MEDITATION DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE  Matthew 19.11-12 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.” WORDS OF HOPE Jesus is talking about divorce and then adds this strange mention of eunuchs. A eunuch was not just a man who had been castrated, but also men who chose not to reproduce were often considered eunuchs. He speaks of them living for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and that makes me wonder if this is not an allusion to transgender people. Anytime I dig deep into the sayings of Jesus or many of the prophets I find words that through my lens reveals a lot of queerness in the Bible. I’m not talking about condemnations but subtle affirmations that pop up when I read them closely. So often queer peoples feel that scripture is irrelevant to their lives, and since it has been used as a weapon against queer folk it’s hardly surprising. Being queer myself I felt that way for a long time until I looked at the words again but took off the filter of the heteronormative world and read the books of what we call the Bible through my own eyes. Queer eyes. PRAYER God help me to shake off the filters that keep me from seeing the good and awesomeness of your creation. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman

READING Shine through me and be so in me, that every soul with whom I come into contact may feel your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see not me but only you, Jesus, and give you glory. -John Cardinal Newman WORDS OF HOPE What does being a witness for Christ mean to you? The Christian witness is not egocentric, and she does not wish to magnify herself by the action of her witness. Rather, she hopes that the loving care with which Christ has graced her life, will be evident to the needy person and provide an experience of God's loving presence to others. As a Christian (Christ in and through us), our witness should reflect the Christ presence which blesses our life. The more we allow God's Spirit to fill and enliven our lives the more clearly God will be reflected in us. When others experience your love and care, may they see less of you as a person, but more of Christ Jesus reflected in your act of witness. Cardinal Newman also says, "Stay within me and then I will begin to shine as you shine; so, to share as to be a light to others, and that light, O Jesus, will be all from you. It will be you shining on others through me. As we meditate on that part of the prayer we can understand that it speaks about the nature of our witness which allows God's loving presence to be reflected through us. Let’s concentrate on the phrase: "stay within me". A bold and effective Christian witness must be consistent! The light from a lighthouse is not turned on intermittently nor does its brightness vary. It is consistent in its brightness and motion. Its electric power source stays on! We best witness for Christ if we "keep the power on". That requires us to keep "plugged in" and fully aware of God's voice and desires for all of our life. We must be attentive to God's presence in the big events of life and the little, mundane things of our daily routine interactions. This is what God desires of us. The Spirit wants to stay with us and empower us to reflect the Divine in our witness to others. May we keep the Christ light shining consistently in our lives today! PRAYER Sweet Jesus, Flood my soul with your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that my life may be only a radiance of your life. It will be you shining on others through me. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare