Listen

Praise be to the Lord, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege. In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.

Psalm 31:21-22 (NIV)

Think

In the times we find ourselves most in distress, the moments when we feel the weight of our pain and grief, what is it that our minds turn to? Do we find ourselves feeling like outcasts? Do we see ourselves as broken and weak? Once a part of ourselves fails, it can seem like the whole world will also fall in upon itself. Like the psalmist, we can feel alarmed and terrified. However, in the moments when we feel the weight of our affliction trapping us inside ourselves, it is most important to put our trust in God. The psalmist puts their complete faith in God, and God hears their cry.

When in your life is fear holding you back? Fear, hatred, and anger weigh so heavy on our shoulders that sometimes we forget how self-inflicted they can be. Our minds become blurred by panic of the moment, the feeling of being in a city under siege. It is in these moments that it is most important to turn to God, to take hold of your fear and give it up to God. For God will hear your cry, and God will show you unfailing love.

Devyn Hubbs

Pray

Creator God, who empowers us in faith, be with us as we gather in a community of joy, comfort, and hope. Be with us as we celebrate our Regreso A Casa to a New Age of Faith. Let your spirit move through us to broaden our minds and open our hearts to one another. Send us from this place with your strength and courage to show the world your truth and accessibility so we may know our own dignity and belovedness. All this we ask through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Collect for #EYE23

Go

“We have to be braver than we think we can be, because God is constantly calling us to be more than we are.” (Madeleine L’Engle)

Breathe in: God calls me by name
Breath out: I am never alone

adapted from @blackliturgies on Instagram
by Cole Arthur Riley

Go forth choosing courage, finding ways to live out the values of love in how you interact with yourself, your family, your school, and your community. And in your going, remember: perhaps you were made for such a time as this.