Philippians 2:14-16
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
What Of Today’s Verse…
Stars. They’ve always been a source of constant hope for God’s people. “Your descendants will be like the stars,” God told Abraham. “When I see the stars, what is man that you are mindful of him?” the Psalms ask. The Wisemen from the East followed a star to Jesus. Luke reminds us that Jesus was a bright star come to us from heaven to shine God’s light to those in darkness. And now, we’re stars. God’s points of light in the dark sky of the universe. So let’s make today a day where our light shines God’s glory to a dark world around us.
Let Us Pray…
Almighty God, the incredible expanse of your universe, with its billions of stars, exceeds my limited comprehension. But I thank you for calling me to be a light in the dark world around me and I pledge to shine your light today in the lives of all those I can. Through the name of the Bright and Morning Star I pray. Amen.
Words Of Wisdom
NATURE…
Immersing myself in the beauty of nature, I experience the omnipresence of God.
The beauty of nature is everywhere. Such beauty is found in small spaces, like a rooftop garden or a backyard pond. And, of course, nature is alive and abundant in the immense display of a towering forest or in the subtle quiet of a field of grass.
Whether I am at the beach or in the mountains, in the desert or in the plains, when I am in close contact with nature, I am aware of being surrounded by and enfolded in the very life of God. Spirit’s breath is in the wind; Spirit’s substance is in the soil.
In nature, I see, hear, and respond to the omnipresent spirit of God in all its diverse expressions. I experience the glory of God pouring forth from every tree, from every flower, from every brook.
The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.—Psalm 19:1
It is not those who lack energy or refrain from action, but those who work without expectation of reward who attain the goal of meditation. Theirs is true renunciation. Therefore, you should understand that renunciation and the performance of selfless service are the same. Those who cannot renounce attachment to the results of their work are far from the path.
