A Mutual Blessing
Marcia Plumb of San Jose, CA, USA
I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long. Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. -Psalm 146:2, 5
We have struggled with the question of how to connect with our neighborhood for years. How do we, as a congregation, become an integral part of our community?
Jan was trimming plants at the church Saturday when she saw a young man sitting in his car in the parking lot. When she approached him to see if he needed anything, he said he was just sitting and thinking. So Jan continued trimming. Soon the young man came over and asked if he could help. He may have been expecting a “No,” but Jan said, “Yes,” and he started helping. While they worked he talked and shared some of his story with Jan.
Now…
if we hadn’t had a place for him to rest and think,
and if Jan hadn’t walked up to the car to check on the young man,
and if she hadn’t been trimming the plants,
and if she hadn’t said “Yes” to the man’s desire to help,
and if she hadn’t engaged him in conversation…
think of the blessing this young man would have missed.
And think of the blessing Jan would have missed.
We can send out all the fliers and social media invitations we want, but if we do not have a community that is visible, one that works and has fun together, a community that our neighbors would like to be with, how can we become involved with our neighborhood?
Prayer Phrase
I am about to do a new thing, now it springs forth… (Isaiah 43:19).
Spiritual Practice
A New Thing
Breathe deeply and listen within. Where is the Spirit doing a new thing in you? How do you feel about the new thing that might be emerging? Are you excited, resistant, fearful, hopeful? Take whatever you are experiencing to prayer. Breathe deeply and listen around you. Where is the Spirit doing a new thing in your community? Pay attention to how it feels to discern the Spirit’s activity and presence within and around you.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
