Ordinary Time

Pause

Faithfulness can seem impossible sometimes. There are so many things God hopes for us to do and not do. We wonder how we can possibly live up to the letter of the law.

But when we really dig down, the spirit of the law is not so difficult. God loves us and empowers us to love back to God and out to others. That’s it: love is the law.

Listen

This commandment that I’m giving you right now is definitely not too difficult for you. It isn’t unreachable. It isn’t up in heaven somewhere so that you have to ask, “Who will go up for us to heaven and get it for us that we can hear it and do it?” Nor is it across the ocean somewhere so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the ocean for us and get it for us that we can hear it and do it?” Not at all! The word is very close to you. It’s in your mouth and in your heart, waiting for you to do it.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14

Think

Sitting on the floor for the children’s message, I remember the pastor teaching that God’s name sounded like breathing. Breathe in: Yah. Breathe out: weh … Yahweh … Yahweh. 

I remember little lungs filling up with the sound of God’s name. That feeling of the closeness of God has gotten me through a lot of sad and scary times.

Our scripture says that God’s commandment isn’t too difficult for us. “Not at all!” It’s within reach – in our own mouths and hearts. What a comfort it is to know that everything we need to be faithful has been planted right inside of us. God is as close as our own breath; God’s laws of love as near as our heartbeat. This means that we are made to be God’s loving, faithful children.

When it seems like you can’t possibly know what God wants you to do or who God wants you to be, breathe deeply, feel your own heartbeat, and trust that the answer is right there inside of you.

Shelli Latham

Pray

Faithful God, thank you for sticking so near to me, for making me in your image, and for putting your hopes in my heart. Help me to trust in your good and faithful creation that I might live and love like you. Amen.

Go

It’s not so much what we have in this life that matters. It’s what we do with what we have. The alphabet is fine, but it’s what we do with it that matters most. Making words like “friend” and “love.” That’s what really matters.

Mr. Rogers

Today, may you do something that matters, trusting that you’re wrapped in the arms of our gracious God, whose number one rule is “Love!”