Ordinary Time

Pause

It’s an important part of your identity, going to the root of who you are. It speaks to where you come from and, to a large degree, where you are going.

So whose child are you?

Since God is our source, we are children of God, made to be loved and to thrive. In these next few moments, consider who has birthed you into the world and who is nurturing you along the way.

Listen

When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:15b–17

Think

We often hear the phrase in church, “Be more like Jesus.” My youth pastor always said, “Get to know all you can about Jesus’ life. Then model your life after his so you’ll always know what to do.” But have you ever wondered why this is? Though many people will answer the question differently, this is a basic truth: Jesus came to earth to show in a human body what it means to love God. So then, as we get to know Jesus, we can know more what it means to be in God’s family and love as Jesus did.

Paul reminds us in today’s Scriptures that Jesus’ life on earth was not always easy. Jesus knew pain, sorrow, and ultimately death. In the same way, as we model our lives after Jesus, we should not expect to travel an easy road. We will suffer too. It’s not always the news we want to hear, but if we’re in the imitation business, isn’t it good to know what we are getting into first?

Elizabeth Evans Hagan

Pray

Dear Jesus, thank you for showing me how to live and how to love when you came to earth. I want to model more of my life after yours. Open my eyes today so that I can see what that means for me. Amen.

Go

Strong, gentle children, God made you beautiful, gave you the wisdom and power you need; speak in the stillness all you are longing for; live out your calling to love and to lead.

From “Strong, Gentle Children” by Dan Damon