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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
Mara Richards Bim | Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Today’s reading addresses those in the church at Thessalonica who are “living irresponsibly, mere busybodies, not doing any work.” Some folks in this budding church aren’t pulling their weight.
Community is built on a shared commitment. For the early churches, community was an essential element in the new faith. Those...
Holy Spirit, breathe renewed life into me so that I may root down deeper in my community. Strengthen my community and pour out your presence upon us so that we may branch out and blossom within the world. Amen.
The two readings from the book of Isaiah come from different eras in the lives of the Israelites: before the Babylonian exile and after. Both passages convey God’s vision for the new creation. The reading from Second Thessalonians addresses those in the church community at Thessalonica who are not abiding by the group’s covenantal agreement. The Gospel reading from Luke recounts a scene at the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem toward the end of Jesus’ public ministry. Jesus prophetically announces that the Temple will once again be destroyed and that his followers will face persecution. Collectively, the four readings speak of God’s continued transformation of the world and the ways Christians are to participate in it.
• Read Isaiah 12. How are you being made whole by God’s love today?
• Read Isaiah 65:17-25. Where is God calling you to share your gifts and talents in the world today?
• Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Communities are made up of individuals, each with a responsibility to themselves and to the group. How is your spirit being formed privately and how is it being formed in community?
• Read Luke 21:5-19. Where do you experience the Divine’s presence in your life today? How are you being called to act in the world?
Respond by posting a prayer.
