Daily Devotions

Meditation, Prayers, and Assorted Stuff for June 10, 2020

Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, “Empowered to Be”

Who are we? Are we what we do? Are we what others say about us? Are we the power we have? It often seems that way in our society. But the Spirit of Jesus given to us reveals our true spiritual identities. The Spirit reveals that we belong not to a world of success, fame, or power but to God. The world enslaves us with fear; the Spirit frees us from that slavery and restores us to the true relationship. That is what Paul means when he says, “All who are guided by the Spirit of God are· sons [daughters] of God, for what you received was not the spirit of slavery to bring you back into fear; you received the spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out, ‘Abba, Father! “‘ (Romans 8:15).

Who are we? We are God’s beloved sons and daughters!

Here’s another prayer from Michael Quoist, “I Like Youngsters.”

God says: I like youngsters. I want people to be like them. I don’t like old people unless they are still children. I want only children in my Kingdom; this has been decreed from the beginning of time. Youngsters—twisted, humped, wrinkled, white-bearded—all kinds of youngsters, but youngsters. There is no changing it; it has been decided. There is room for no one else.

I like little children because my image has not yet been dulled in them. They have not botched my likeness; they are new, pure, without a blot, without a smear. So, when I gently lean over them, I recognize myself in them.

But above all, I like youngsters because of the look in their eyes. In their eyes I can read their age. In my heaven, there will be only five-year-old eyes, for I know of nothing more beautiful than the pure eyes of a child. It is not surprising, for I live in children, and it is I who look out through their eyes. When pure eyes meet yours, it is I who smile at you through the flesh. But on the other hand, I know of nothing sadder than lifeless eyes in the face of a child. The windows are open, hut the house is empty. Two eyes are there, but no light. And, saddened, I stand at the door, and wait in the cold and knock. I am eager to get in.

And he, the child, is alone. He gets stout, he hardens, he dries up, he gets old. Poor old fellow!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Open, all of you, little old men! It is I, your God, the Eternal, risen from the dead, coming to bring back to life the child in you. Hurry! Now is the time. I am ready to give you again the beautiful face of a child, the beautiful eyes of a child. For I love youngsters, and I want everyone to be like them.

Dad Jokes:

What do you call a dog that can do magic? (A labracadabrador)

Why did the cookie cry? (Because his father was a wafer so long.)

I cut my finger shredding cheese, but I think that I might have grater problems.

Today’s links!

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/21/us/tony-hawk-skateboard-via-tiktok-trnd/index.htmlA 6-year-old traded skateboards with his idol Tony Hawk thanks to a FedEx driver’s TikTok.

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/Some Florida middle schoolers earned their school $100,000 by inventing a device that monitors storm drains and helps stop flash flooding.

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/The decade-old quest for a hidden treasure chest is over. The millionaire who hid it says it was just found.

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/Steven Allbright first studied his craft by watching TV cooking shows in prison. Now he’s trying to keep Baltimore’s most vulnerable residents fed during a pandemic as the culinary director at the Franciscan Center.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc6CWfBgIt8 Listen as a quartet headed by John Coltrane and Stan Getz plays a ballad medley of Autumn Leaves, What’s New, and Moonlight In Vermont.

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Sunday worship at 9 AM, with “Doughnut room” time starting at 8:30 AM. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/815064120, Meeting ID: 815 064 120 Dial in to participate at +1 312 626 6799.

Don’t forget Bible study tonight at 7 PM. This week, we’re in Acts 12 and 13

Zoom Login Info: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89293806379 Meeting ID: 892 9380 6379