Pause

God is speaking all the time. It's up to us to listen, to have our hearts open to hear.

You have before you a wonderful opportunity, a chance once again to listen for the quiet voice of God. Open your heart now to hear.

Listen

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

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

Psalm 107:1-3

Think

Open hearts give thanks! Open hearts praise God for God’s steadfast and redeeming love.

Who are the redeemed? We are those who have been saved and gathered together in community. Open hearts want to be gathered together with others, rather than stay by ourselves. Open hearts recognize that God’s redeeming love extends to people from east, west, north and south — people from every land, every race, every language. Since God’s steadfast love endures and is open to all, so we can also love one another with the same steadfast love.

When we welcome and love others, especially those who are different, we are showing them the same love that God shows us. God’s redemption is big. Really big! Big enough for the whole world. It changes our personal lives, our friendships, our community, and our world. It calls us to love neighbors and even enemies just as God loves us.

Jeff Light

Pray

Help me accept others and you have accepted me. Teach me to see the beauty in each other person, and to welcome others into the family of faith. Amen.

Go

Will your heart be open
To hear what God will say?
Will your eyes be clear
So you can follow in God's way?
God is speaking.
Listen now.
The way is clear.
Follow.