Ordinary Time

Pause

Understand—through the stillness.
Act—out of the stillness.
Conquer—in the stillness.

Dag Hammarskjöld in Markings (1964)

Still your body, mind, and soul. In the stillness, can you sense God’s hope waiting for you?

Listen

I cry out to you because you answer me. So tilt your ears toward me now— listen to what I’m saying! Manifest your faithful love in amazing ways because you are the one who saves those who take refuge in you, saving them from their attackers by your strong hand.

Psalm 17:6-7

Think

I once heard gossip defined as “talking about a problem with someone who doesn’t have the power to do anything about that problem.” Much of the messiness in relationships comes from such a place — whether from good motives or from bad, we often take our problems to the wrong people.

The psalmist knows who is able to help. The author’s prayer is directed to God, because God is the one who is able to provide protection and deliverance.

When you face a challenge today, a good first step is to ask yourself who can best address that problem. You might need to share your difficulty with a parent, a friend, a doctor, a counselor, a minister, or some other person. But you might also face a problem that a human can give a listening ear to, but can’t ultimately solve for you. In that moment, a prayer to God may give you the hope that you need.

Andrew Garnett

Pray

God of wonderful love, when I face hardship give me the wisdom to know how to respond. Help me to bring my challenges to you. Protect me with your mighty arm. Amen.

Go

Go today to walk with a God who has been good in the past, who is faithful in the present, and who has prepared for you a future of overwhelming hope.