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Shabbat Shalom!
I have a friend who is a rabbi in the Houston area. When I used to Read More
Andrew Garland Breeden (Tennessee) | Read Psalm 22:25-31
Like most people, I want a smooth journey from points A to B; but that’s not always what I get. When I’m out hiking—one of my favorite activities—sometimes the path is unobstructed for the duration of my trek. Other times, I have to cross streams with knee-deep water, circumnavigate fallen...
God of hope, when I feel overwhelmed by my circumstances, remind me of your presence so that I may turn my lament into songs of praise. Amen.
Two primary themes emerge from our readings for this week. In Psalm 22, we find the promise that faraway nations will turn and worship the Lord. The book of Acts provides partial fulfillment of this promise. Through the action of the Spirit, a court official from Ethiopia hears the gospel and can take it home to his native land. The Johannine readings focus on abiding in God. “God is love,” the epistle states, so all who claim to abide in God manifest love to the world. The author pushes the point: If we maintain animosity toward others, we cannot claim to remain in the love of God. In John, Jesus states that we must remain in him if we want to bear good fruit for God.
Read Acts 8:26-40. When has an unexpected encounter led you to a deeper understanding of God?
Read Psalm 22:25-31. Recalling that Psalm 22 begins with the cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” do these verses of praise seem surprising? When have you seen this kind of movement in your spiritual journey?
Read 1 John 4:7-21. How does your assurance of God’s love for you move you to love others?
Read John 15:1-8. How secure do you feel about being attached to the vine? What has God done in your life to make it more productive?
Respond by posting a prayer.
