Ordinary Time

Pause

You are loved unconditionally.

God loves you unconditionally.

Today, let us trust in this love.

Listen

Now you are coming to him as to a living stone. Even though this stone was rejected by humans, from God’s perspective it is chosen, valuable. You yourselves are being built like living stones into a spiritual temple. You are being made into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Thus it is written in scripture, Look! I am laying a cornerstone in Zion, chosen, valuable. The person who believes in him will never be shamed. So God honors you who believe.

1 Peter 2:4-7a

Think

Every day that you get up and try your best to love yourself and others as Jesus would, something is happening in you. You may not see it. You may not feel it. You may not understand it. But you’re being built up. Bit by bit. Stone by stone. Day by day. God’s goodness is covering your life. It’s growing up your soul into the person that God created you to be!

The writer of 1 Peter tells that Christ is building our lives into spiritual temples— places that put God’s love out in the world. No one can be around us without stopping to consider God. We exist as living testimonies. God uses us to build up good things in the world. Our belief in Jesus does this amazing work.

Elizabeth Evans Hagan

Pray

God, when I get discouraged remind me that you’re working on my life. You’re making  my life into a living stone, which is telling a great story! Amen.

Go

Believe in God.

Believe in Jesus.

Trust the Spirit is with you.