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LIBERATING GRACE,
SANCTIFYING PRESENCE
Isaiah 61:1-7
Each morning as I arise I am thankful it is possible to see, hear, and
par ticipate actively in life. I am thankful as well for the abundance of
blessings I and ours enjoy in a world where millions of other mor tals
suffer starvation, violence, homelessness, disease, and despair. As I rise
I need to be not only thankful. I need to be preparing myself to do
whatever I can to make my sub-microscopic contribution to getting God's
redemptive will done to at least an infinitesimal degree more in this
world to which Jesus came and for which he died. Inspiration for making
my little effor t is provided by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, that heroic Christian,
hanged at Hitler's express directive shor tly before Nazi Germany
collapsed. His courage and faith inspire me, to be sure, but so does
this meditation.
Each morning is a new beginning of our life.
Each day is a finished whole.
The present day marks the boundary
of our cares and concerns.
It is long enough to find God or to lose him,
to keep faith
or fall into disgrace.
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because
the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news
to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners."
- Isaiah 61:1
DECEMBER 13
