Ordinary Time

Pause

We go to work, we take naps, we read books and watch movies, we spend time with friends and family, we take adventures, and we rest. And maybe, in the midst of all these things, we go to church.

What is our motivation? If Jesus is, in fact, our motivation for the church piece of our week, what is our motivation for all those other things? In the midst of everything that consumes our daily lives, it is easy to lose our focus on Jesus.

But it is in the everyday — not just at church — that we are transformed. And transformation happens not by our doing, but by the Son of God, who continues to guide us even when we are forgetful. Let us now turn our hearts and minds to Jesus.

Listen

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are on the road to destruction. The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who don’t have faith so they couldn’t see the light of the gospel that reveals Christ’s glory. Christ is the image of God.

We don’t preach about ourselves. Instead, we preach about Jesus Christ as Lord, and we describe ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. God said that light should shine out of the darkness. He is the same one who shone in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Think

Why does it always seem like the rest of the world wants to make our dark moments darker? Sometimes when I feel stuck in the tough moments, it seems like the lights that shine around me are the ones that put me further into darkness. Social media that encourages me to compare my life to others. Commercials that tell me what shiny new product I need for a life of wealth and riches.

In dark times, I often find myself thinking about the saying, “It’s not about who we are, but Whose we are.” Sure, it’s become a cliché, but at the end of the day, isn’t that what matters to begin — and end — with?

While it’s easier to latch onto the things that make us feel worse, what if we tried to keep the light that shines brighter than Hollywood itself at the forefront? It is God who is this bright light within us. At the end of the day, let’s remember that we belong to and are cherished by God.

Emily Miller

Pray

Holy God, who provides light and remains with me in darkness, remind me that I am yours, from the moment I wake until the moment I fall asleep, and all of the moments in between. Amen.

Go

"Walking behind to hem my journey
Going ahead to light my way
And from beneath, above, and always
O Christ, surround me."

from “O Christ Surround Me,” by Richard Bruxvoort Colligan