Ordinary Time

Pause

Sit still. Take a deep breath. Listen to these words.

You are beloved.

Let those words reverberate throughout your being. Let them echo in your mind and whisper in your soul. There is nothing you can do to make God love you more or make God love you less.

This is the healing power of Christ Jesus.

Listen

One of them, when he saw that he had been healed, returned and praised God with a loud voice. He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus replied, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? No one returned to praise God except this foreigner?” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

Luke 17:15-19

Think

Jesus did not tell them to come back. He simply said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” But one man could not help himself. Overwhelmed by the goodness of God, he ran back to Jesus, fell down at his feet, and cried out in praise and worship.

His skin was healed, and he looked like a new person, but more importantly his heart was filled with gratitude and joy.

Have you ever experienced God in such a way that you cannot help but cry out in praise and thanksgiving?

Today as you walk outside or in the halls at school, look around you. Notice the sun reflecting on the windows, the flowers growing between the cracks in the sidewalk, the birds singing. Notice the miracles occurring all around you. Take a deep breath and feel the air fill your lungs and put your hand on your chest to feel your heartbeat. Notice the miracles occurring within you.

Take a moment to cry out in praise, thanking God for the miracles we take for granted every day.

Kelli Kirksey

Pray

Dear God, help me slow down today and notice all the miracles around me. Help me to stop, breathe, and consider all the works of your hand. Help me to call out to you in praise, naming all the ways you are working in the world around me. Amen.

Go

You are seen.

You are known.

You are loved to the very depths of your being.

Now go and share that love with the world.

This is the healing power of Christ Jesus in you.

Amen.