Listen

Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and don’t return there without watering the earth, making it conceive and yield plants and providing seed to the sower and food to the eater, so is my word that comes from my mouth; it does not return to me empty. Instead, it does what I want, and accomplishes what I intend.

Isaiah 55:10-11

Think

Isaiah 55 begins with an invitation to all people to come and receive blessings from God. It is an invitation to healing peace and perfect joy. As the sower scattered seed, so God scatters blessings to the world. We each have already received this seed – this holy present – free from God. God extends grace to us all.

It is up to us to decide how we will cultivate and accept this present of love. The gift can be left on a shelf and unopened. It can be opened and tossed aside. It can be opened and misused, and forgotten. Or this supreme gift of love from God and be opened, accepted, nurtured through prayer, scripture, and practice. This seed can grow and flourish. It will sustain us in our darkest and happiest times.

The best part is, when cherished, this gift is one we cannot be silent about. This gift can be shared and passed along to others who long to understand their own gift from God.

Sarah Briggs Amoth

Pray

God, thank you for this gift of unconditional love. Help me to live into your love. Allow me to spread your love to all people I meet. Amen.

Go

I pray light will
Leak from our pockets
We’ll be drenched, overcome
At night the fireflies
Streamers at our sides
Silent flaming arcs of hope

All things will change
We wait for the rain
And the promise remains

from “Jacaranda Tree” by Josh Garrels (2008)