Listen

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to you, Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

Think

I hiked this summer along a rock wall, built way back in 122 CE. Meandering up craggy trails required me to be mindful in each step, with the goal of all my family members returning to our inn without gnarly twisted ankles. With each step I wondered, would this rock be stable to stand on? Halfway amidst my favorite hike was an iconic sycamore tree in the gap between two sections of the Roman wall.

I was reminded of the Gospel account of Zacchaeus (Luke 19), an outcast in his society, who climbed a tall sycamore tree in a different part of the world not too many years before to try and see Jesus. Yet Jesus, when passing by him, already saw him and offered him welcome and redemption.

God also already sees us—the words of our mouths, the very meditations of our hearts.

We don’t have to climb lofty heights to be noticed by God nor worry about the stability of God’s presence.

We can walk amidst the redeeming love of God in Christ.

Molly Logan

Question to Ponder:

What would it mean today for me to try and focus on thoughts and motivations that might be pleasing to God? What would that feel like for me?

Pray

Gracious and Loving God, thank you for your rock-solid justice, mercy, and love.

As I reach towards a goal of deepening my encounter with you, thank you for setting paths of grace before me for my walk of faith.

Amen.

Go

This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight.

Philippians 1:9

There’s so much to learn and enjoy of the depth of God’s love.

Embrace a goal of seeking and serving afresh today.