Delivered from Private Spirituality
November 2nd, 2009Monday’s Reflection
AS WE LISTEN TO THE GROANS OF OTHERS, we build a bridge between our inner journey and the outer journey of those around us. In doing so, we find ourselves being delivered from private spirituality. As we listen to the groans we find ourselves able to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves.
- Trevor Hudson with Stephen Bryant
Listening to the Groans: A Spirituality for Ministry and Mission
From pp. 14-15 of Listening to the Groans: A Spirituality for Ministry and Mission by Trevor Hudson with Stephen Bryant. Copyright © 2007 by the authors. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission of Upper Room Books. http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/. Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question
What are the “groans” you are hearing today? Share what you hear.
Today’s Scripture Reading
If the Lord does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless.
- Psalm 127:1, GNT
This Week …
- Special Need:
- This Week: Pray for caregivers. Add your prayer to the Prayer Wall.
- Tips for Your Spirit:
- Looking for clarity? Learn the Quaker way of the Clearness Committee to help with making tough decisions. Try it out.
- Saints, Inc.:
- This week we remember Antoinette Brown Blackwell (November 5).
- Lectionary Readings:
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November 2nd, 2009 at 4:43 am
The “groan” I heard last night – was that of a homeless man who had his bike stolen. Yet, his groan turned to rejoicing, as someone who came up to him and offered him a brand new bicycle – within hours. He was praising God – so grateful. That touched me. It spoke to my selfishness, my ungratefulness – and I was overcome with shame. I am so blessed to have so much – and yet find ways to feel unsatisfied. Father – forgive me. Forgive my ungrateful spirit – and change that. Thank you for Scott, for having him share that story with us last night. It was awesome to see his eyes – and to hear him say, “this isn’t my bike, this is God’s bike.” What a dose of perspective I needed. Father, may I live today for You. This is Your day, and I am Your servant. Keep bringing me back to that – may the acts I perform be for You and Your glory.
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:07 am
My mother, as she goes to the dentist for a 7:45 appt. Yesterday she fainted and fell and pushed her teeth back. We believe the fall was a reaction to a new prescription painkiller the doctor gave her for sciatica.
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:18 am
The groans of a desperate grandmother whose granddaughter is terribly ill.
The groans of a Marine Corps chaplain sharing the burdens of his men in prayer.
The groans of family members dealing, each in their own way, with loss– some choosing less-healthy ways than others.
Lord Jesus, Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. Walk alongside us as we groan– and lift us as only You know how. Amen.
November 2nd, 2009 at 7:52 am
I am hearing many groans-the ones from Wall Street-telling us to spend, spend, spend, so the rich can have more than they already have or need. Then I read in our paper how the “poor” are reaching out, assisting those less fortunate than themselves to have shelter and food. The story from Mark illustrates this perfectly. Lord, I pray that you help those in the higher places to see how to better help those in the lower places, rather than storing up riches on Earth.
November 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 am
The ‘groans’ I’m hearing come from my husband. He’s on lay-off right now and is constantly worried about our lack of money. I’m worried also, but I do know that the Lord seems to always provide our needs.
My husband is always ‘groaning’ about my teenage sons, about how much they eat, sleep,….anything that they do. I’ve been asking the Lord to heal their relationship because this situation puts a lot of stress on me, as they are my sons and I love them.
When I hear myself begin to ‘groan’ over these problems such a finances, or these arguments, I realize quickly how blessed that I am. I think about the homeless, ones who haven’t had a meal in days. I think about the couple who’ve lost one of their kids to cancer, or a car accident. It quickly replaces my groans with prayer and thanksgiving to the Lord above for all the blessings that I do have in my life.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Our church groaned as they did not find the Upper Room available to them yesterday. I groaned even more when I checked with the Post Office to confirm that they had not arrived ….
AND when I called Upper room , found out that they had been returned because they were ‘undeliverable’ (because the name for delivery was that of a pastor who had left over a year ago)
How often do we groan because we have failed to keep things up to date ?
JHD