Daily Devotion for January 19, 2021

Today is an interesting day in history, smack dab in between two major events, yesterday was a celebration of the life and ministry of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and tomorrow is the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. We stand between a day to remember peace and unity and a day in which we are called to peace and unity.

I remind us all – that we are witnesses to the living Christ. It is the how of our living in these times. As Christians, we are called to live God’s way, “But what happens when we live God’s way? God brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.” (Galatians 5:22-23, The Message)

I hope you will join me in this prayer, “God, we thank you for the inspiration of Jesus. Grant that we will love you with all our hearts, souls, and minds, and love our neighbors as we love ourselves, even our enemy neighbors. And we ask you, God, in these days of emotional tension, when the problems of the world are gigantic in extent and chaotic in detail, to be with us in our going out and our coming in, in our rising up and in our lying down, in our moments of joy and in our moments of sorrow, until the day when there shall be no sunset and no dawn. Amen.” (written by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)