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Hope Springs Forth
Throughout the year, we have continued to celebrate the 90th anniversary of The Upper Room daily Read More
Cristian De La Rosa | Read 2 Timothy 4:16-18
In the struggle to figure out who we are or who we are becoming, we will encounter times in our lives when we feel that no one understands us. Even though we are surrounded physically by people we know and love, they feel so far away that it is as...
O God, help me recognize your presence with me when others feel far away. I want to receive your peace within. Amen.
God’s redemption and accompaniment of people are the common themes in the texts from the Hebrew scripture. People can rejoice and give thanks to God for the gifts that nurture life. There is a clear presence of God walking with the people. Expressions of hope, satisfaction, and praise communicate the presence and experience of God as the one that will bridge the human and the divine. The readings from the New Testament have a very different emphasis. God continues to accompany the people but is now the one who holds the people accountable for faith practices, ways of life, and faithfulness.
• Read Joel 2:23-32. How do you experience the presence of God in your life? How have natural events been a sign to you of God’s presence?
• Read Psalm 65. What does it mean to be accompanied by God today? How do you find joy and happiness in your closeness to God?
• Read 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18. When has God strengthened you in the face of evil?
• Read Luke 18:9-14. What aspect of your life do you need to approach with renewed humility?
Respond by posting a prayer.
