Daily Devotion

Collect of the Day
O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture Reading of the Day,Matthew 7:15-29
15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.

21 "Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?' 23 Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.' 24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!" 28 Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Reflection

"O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you, as in a barren and dry land where there is no water." - Ps. 63:1
"Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth, think of the Lord in goodness and seek him with sincerity of heart; because he is found by those who do not put him to the test, and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him." *1

"....the elders among you...tend the flock of God that is in your charge. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock." *2

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits." *3

Imagine a world in which the "rulers" embraced the teachings of the Psalmist, the writer (perhaps it was King Solomon) of the Book of Wisdom (*1), the Apostle Peter (*2), and Jesus, the Christ (*3). Imagine our own president, our secretary of state, the pentagon, the members of congress with these 4 teachings printed plainly where they would be read every day and become imprinted in the very hearts and spirits of these "rulers". Imagine your own life lived with these words of life as a daily guide.

God has already imagined all of this! God knows the wondrous possibilities for our lives. We have only to eagerly seek God and live into God's imagination!

(*1- Wisdom 1:1-15; *2 - 1st Letter of Peter 5:1-11; *3 - Matthew 7:15-29)

thoughts of a fellow traveler - DMc