- GROWING in God's love;
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CARING for one another;
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RESPONDING
- to the needs of the
- world
- to the needs of the
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RESPONDING
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CARING for one another;
Behind the identity given to us by society lies our true identity in relationship with God and Christ. Living as Christ's own enables us to forge relationships of love and respect with one another.
How do you see your relationship with God? How does that change your relationship with other people? How does the church help you practice acceptance of others?
Jesus paints a picture of the reign of God as an open table where all are invited and where there is enough for all, forever. We are called to join Christ in setting such an open table to invite all people to experience life shaped by God's inclusive and compassionate love.
Christ, our loving host, open our hearts to accept your invitation to true community in God's reign. Assure us of our place at God's open table, and help us make certain that no one is excluded from dining there. Amen.
Jesus welcomes, loves, and restores all in the ways of God's healing reign. We are invited to celebrate and praise God for such love. We are also called to be agents of such healing freedom.
Who in your community is bent over or living in the shadow in some way?
How might you as an individual and as the church reach out and invite them to the center of your community's life together?
What are the challenges you face in doing so?
When we face difficult times as a nation, a community, or a church, we wonder if God has abandoned us. With the psalmist of old, we cry out, Restore us! Yet, as we live through these difficult days, we experience more fully that God is faithful in all the times of our lives. We can trust God to carry us through hard times to better days.
How are you resting in God's grace today?
In what ways do you long for your own life and the life of the church or nation to be restored?
