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Thursday, February 26, 2015

gathering, thursday

Thursday, February 26

Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God.
         
Opening Prayer: O Lord our God, help us to be faithful to gather what you have provided for our hearts and souls this day—that we may feed on you and live.  In the name of Jesus, the bread of life.  Amen.
                     
Scripture Reading for the Day: Deuteronomy 30:1-10

Reading for Reflection:
 
     The rabbis guide their people with stories; ministers usually guide with ideas and theories.  We need to become storytellers again, and so to multiply our ministry by calling around us the great witnesses who in different ways offer guidance to doubting hearts.
     One of the remarkable qualities of the story is that it creates space.  We can dwell in a story, walk around, find our own place.  The story confronts but does not oppress; the story inspires but does not manipulate.  The story invites us to an encounter, a dialog, a mutual sharing.
     A story that guides is a story that opens a door and offers space in which to search and boundaries to help us find what we seek, but it does not tell us what to do or how to do it.  The story brings us into touch with the vision and so guides us.  Weisel writes, "God made man because he loves stories."  As long as we have stories to tell to each other there is hope. (The Living Reminder by Henri J. M. Nouwen)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself    
                      
Closing Prayer: O Lord, help us to truly love you with all that is within us.  Gather us from the places we have been scattered.  Delight in us the way we were created to be delighted in.  Bring us home to yourself.  Remind us of the story you had in mind for us from the beginning.  Amen.

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