Focus

Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today.

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Read

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 (NRSV)

O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his steadfast love endures forever!

Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
…
The LORD is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.

There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.”
I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of the LORD.
The LORD has punished me severely,
but he did not give me over to death.

Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the LORD.

This is the gate of the LORD;
the righteous shall enter through it.

I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the LORD’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

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Reflect

About a year ago, a member of the church I pastor died. Cynthia was one of the nicest, kindest, most positive people I have ever met. For thirty years she had been unable to walk on her own due to a series of strokes. Those same strokes also kept her from speaking little more than the word alright, but that one word could convey more meaning and emotion than an entire dictionary in someone else’s hands.

While visiting with church members after her memorial service, I was told a story that perfectly captured Cynthia’s essence. She and her husband were attending the fiftieth anniversary celebration of another couple from the church. As soon as the band started playing, Cynthia took her cane, hobbled onto the dance floor, and began to dance. She didn’t care who was watching her or what they thought about her dancing. She knew she was blessed to be alive, and she took every chance she could to celebrate the life God had given her.

It takes so little to ruin our day. Maybe we have a bad hair day, a long commute, sub-par service at a restaurant, or a hectic day at work, making us ready to yell and scream at everyone we meet. We must remind ourselves constantly that we serve a God who is mighty and powerful. Our Lord has given us blessings beyond measure; our cup overflows with goodness. We should spend every single day celebrating the joy of our salvation!

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Pray

Precious God, we celebrate the goodness in our lives. You have richly blessed us, and we praise you in all we do. Amen.

Go with God.