Listen

Let the kindness of the Lord our God be over us. Make the work of our hands last. Make the work of our hands last!

Psalm 90:17

Think

I loved building sandcastles growing up. Fetching buckets of sticky sand, digging protective moats, and decorating with seaweed was playful work! Knowing the tides would eventually wash my ephemeral sandcastles away didn’t bother me. The wonder of sunshine, laughter, and patience of my family playing together lasted. I’d just rebuild.

We want the work of our hands to last. Our grades, friendships, team positions, wages, institutions, and pathways we work so hard to build – these aren’t play.

As a fresh start, what if we truly let the kindness of the Lord oversee us today, guiding us to be more focused on grace-filled ways of doing our work – rather than focusing on whether or not the work itself lasts?

The strength we discover in doing our work… the welcome we create when we uplift others alongside of us… the wonder we learn in working in the world around us… the patience we receive and offer… the resilience in believing we can rebuild after challenging setbacks — all this is the goodness of God’s lasting kindness and love.

May it wash over us.

Molly Logan

Pray

Thank you for offering me kindness afresh, God.

You don’t judge me – whether my work lasts or crumbles today.

Amidst the tides of my day, help me to use my hands and working hours for learning, listening, uplifting, reaching out, and receiving this day in your loving kindness.

Amen.

Go

Certainly the faithful love of the Lord hasn’t ended; certainly God’s compassion isn’t through! They are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Whether it’s morning or evening in your day, God’s grace is dawning.

May you be renewed by that fresh start and choose to live out that compassion.