holiness, wednesday

Wednesday, October 1

Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God.

         

Opening Prayer: Gracious and loving God, you know the deep inner patterns of my life that keep me from being totally yours.  You know the misformed structures of my being that hold me in bondage to something less than your high purpose for my life.  You also know my reluctance to let you have your way with me in these areas.  Hear the deeper cry of my heart for wholeness and by your grace enable me to open to your transforming presence in this time.  Lord, have mercy. (Invitation to a Journey by Robert Mulholland Jr.)

Scripture Reading for the Day: 1 Peter 1:13-16

Reading for Reflection:

 

So when God says, “You shall be holy, for I am holy,” (1 Peter 1:16) he is not giving us an imperative.  He is making us a promise.  In Jesus Christ, we shall be holy.  We do not become holy by trying to obey Jesus’ teachings.  Instead, we are made holy by allowing the Holy Spirit to draw us so close to Jesus that his love begins to flow through our veins, changing our hearts, renewing our minds, and making us holy in every aspect of life. (Sacred Thirst by Craig Barnes)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

                                  

Closing Prayer: Make us holy, O Holy God, for you alone have the power to do such a thing.  Left to our own will, our own strength, and our own devices we are without hope.  We cannot make ourselves holy.  Give us your holiness, Lord God.  Give us the holiness of your son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Make us holy, as he is holy.  Amen.