Devotion - Thursday, August 22

We had a bit of a humorous glitch near then end of last night's Eucharist.  Emily had agreed to lead us in the Dismissal.  Since the various parts had been assigned as we gathered, no one remembered exactly who was supposed to do what, and when.  As the pause occurred for the Post Communion Prayer, Emily jumped in with the Dismissal.  "Wait, wait." we had to tell her.

Would that we were always eager to signal the transition from our inward focused talk of God to our actively carrying what we have received into the world!  It is surely pleasing to God when jump at the chance to apply in the world what it is that we have gained from our time in God's presence.

This morning's Gospel reading is from Mark 10.  Jesus is revealing what will happen to him when he arrives in Jerusalem.  He tells the disciples, "The Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve."  Our "service", our "worship services," are practice events  which send us out into the world to serve.  Following Jesus means serving, as he served.

Like so many of you, I was eager for last night's reunion - life just isn't the same when there are no weekly gatherings of LCM-C.  My eagerness to be active in the world in Christ's name throughout the remainder of the week needs to be equally strong.

Peter Marshall offered this prayer:

Help me to be an instrument of Thine to alleviate the pain, by this day:

returning good for evil,

returning soft answers for sharp criticisms,

being polite when I receive rudeness,

being understanding when I am confronted by ignorance and stupidity.