Wednesday - July 12, 2023

SCRIPTURE  Isaiah 33. 17-18 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar. In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror. WORDS OF HOPE Isaiah’s Prophesy today is an excellent introduction to Christmas week and points to the entry of the coming Messiah. But what about the here and now? At any time in your life, have you asked “Why am I here?” “What’s my purpose?” Or maybe “I’m alive, now what?” I think about these questions constantly. As I look around my house, and anticipate the addition of even more gift items, it’s obvious I have accumulated lots of things, usually souvenirs centered around a happy memory or experience. Lots of keepsakes that have become props to jog my memory for friendship, perhaps vacations, or memories I’ve become too attached to. I have asked myself: do these things serve any purpose? Those are all about yesterday. They don’t offer me any meaningful clue about why I am here today. Why do I keep things? I know there are lots of people who don’t particularly like having stuff; those minimalist folks find happiness in other ways. I appreciate their philosophy. Maybe when I look at my mementos of good times past, I consider the times that relieved me of stress, anxiety, or sadness and I wonder if I lose “the things” will I forget my happy experiences? Our yesterdays can serve our todays and today, as usual, I’m considering my deeper role, my purpose. If I were placed here on Earth to serve anything outside of myself, am I doing this right? It’s hard to say. Living a life less planned and more spontaneous has served me well but has it served others? I’ have looked at an old keepsake now and then, an old Christmas gift, perhaps with a little silent prayer of thanks in mind and related an optimistic story about it to a friend. I’m often rewarded with a smile on that friend’s face. We live in a time when too many of us wear despair on our faces. A sense of optimism should be high on the “purpose of life list” each of us should carry. A smile is a powerful gift these days. It’s a worthy purpose. I’ve learned that happy stories about old gifts actually can serve an important use, sort of like props with a purpose. Maybe, at least, I’ve discovered one of the reasons I was put here. If that makes you think I know something special, I don’t. And now we’re full circle. I have rediscovered I have no solid answers. I do know, however, that my eyes have seen Isaiah’s “king in his beauty” arrive for quite a few Christmases in my past and that should bring purpose to all our lives. That’s a story of joy worth sharing. PRAYER God, in the great mystery that is life, help us to know how to find our purpose, so that we might be used to create a spark, offer guidance, or give someone a Christmas gift of an optimistic story, or even a simple nod of “I see you.” Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Charlie C. Rose Order of St Francis & St Clare

SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 7:18–22 (The Inclusive Bible) “Then David went in and sat before YHWH and said: ‘Who am I, Sovereign YHWH, and what is my family that you have brought me this far? And even this was too small a thing in your eyes, Sovereign YHWH, for you have also spoken about the future of your servant’s house… How great you are—Sovereign YHWH! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.’” WORDS OF HOPE Today is Arabic Language Day, and something in my spirit stirs. I find myself thinking about theGod who refuses to be captured by one culture, one holy book, one tradition, or one familiar tongue. I think of David sitting before YHWH, stunned that the God of all creation would speak to someone like him. And I realize: God never stopped surprising us. God never stopped speaking in ways bigger than our expectations. Jesus spoke Aramaic, the cousin of Arabic—two languages shaped by the same desert winds, shared roots, shared rhythms. When Jesus preached, comforted, healed, and blessed people, he did so in a Semitic tongue full of poetry and ancient beauty. His voice would not have sounded like a Shakespearean monologue; it would have sounded like the language of fishermen, farmers, mothers, laborers, travelers, and the poor. A human language for a human God. That truth comforts me deeply: God speaks in the languages of the people, not the languages of empire. And God is still speaking—through Arabic, Hebrew, English, Navajo, Yoruba, Hindi, Mandarin,and the thousands of living languages carried in human breath. God speaks through texts like the Qur’an, the Bhagavad Gita, the Torah, the Gospels, Indigenous stories, Buddhist sutras, and the wisdom passed from grandmother to grandchild. God speaks through all who bear the Divine image—queer voices, trans voices, immigrant voices, refugee voices, disabled voices, child voices, tired voices, joyful voices, and voices that tremble but speak anyway. And then there is Arabic itself—a language I find breathtaking. Something about its script, theway the letters swirl like rivers and the vowels glide like silk, moves me. Its poetry feels ancientand alive. When I listen to Middle Eastern or Arabic music, it transports me. I feel like the veilbetween worlds thins, and suddenly I am standing somewhere holy—somewhere older, deeper,and wider than anything I can describe. And then there is the Adhan, the Islamic call to prayer. Driving to work in Plano, Texas, sometimes I get lucky. Sometimes, if the timing is just right, I hear the Adhan rising from the Plano masjid. I slow down—not just the car, but my soul. I watch people walking toward worship, shoulders relaxed, steps steady, their hearts set toward God. The masjid’s architecture glows softly in the morning light—curved, calm, dignified, beautiful. I am not Muslim. And yet I love hearing the Adhan. It reminds me that somewhere, right now, someone is stopping everything to pray. To breathe. To remember who they are and who God is. It grieves me that Western culture has trained so many to fear what is unfamiliar—labeling Arabic, Islam, and Muslim communities as “dangerous” or “evil.” That lie feeds xenophobia andIslamophobia. It harms real people. It blinds us to beauty. Because when I hear the Adhan, I don’t hear danger. I hear mercy. I hear peace. I hear a reminder that Christians desperately need our own call to prayer—a call that interrupts noise, ego, and fear, and summons us back to God. And as a Christian and an LGBTQIA+ ally, I know I am called to be a bridge. Not a perfect one. Not a heroic one. But a faithful one. A bridge between Christians and Muslims. A bridge between queer people and churches that have yet to fully love them. A bridge between those who fear difference and those who embody it. A bridge between God and God’s beloved children. Being a bridge means listening when others dismiss. Honoring what others fear. Standing with Muslim neighbors, queer neighbors, trans neighbors, immigrant neighbors, and anyone whose truth is misunderstood or despised. Because the God who speaks through Arabic also speaks through: • Hindu mantras naming Ishvara, the indwelling Divine • Buddhist chants calling on Amitabha, the boundless compassion • Sikh prayers proclaiming Ik Onkar — God is One • Indigenous songs honoring Creator and Great Spirit • Church bells echoing across city streets • Queer and trans voices claiming holy dignity • Protest chants crying out for justice and liberation • Refugee stories filled with courage and heartbreak Oceans breathing, forests singing, mountains humming their silent praise God is still speaking—through languages we understand, languages we fear, and languages we have yet to hear. God speaks through every culture, every people, every prayer, every cry for justice, every breath of hope. Arabic Language Day reminds me that God’s voice is far more expansive, more colorful, more multilingual, and more surprising than anything our narrow worldviews can contain. God invites us into a Kin-dom where every language, every identity, every faith, every person belongs. SHORT PRAYER God of all Names— YHWH, Allah, Adonai, Elohim, El Shaddai, Ishvara, Dharmakaya, Great Spirit—Open my ears to hear You everywhere. Teach me to honor Arabic and the beauty it carries. Teach me to hear Your call in the Adhan, in bells, in chants, and in silence. Make me a bridge of compassion, justice, and understanding—especially for Muslim, queer, trans, and immigrant neighbors. Calm my assumptions, soften my fears, expand my love. Lead me into Your Kin-dom of radical welcome, courageous faith, and holy diversity. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Reed Kirkman

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