Lenten Devotional March 31 "God is With You"

OPENING PRAYER. . .Loving God, Creator of all that is, here I am--today in this place that you have given me, with all the senses you have given me. Help me to use them to experience you on a deeper level. May I experience you all around me, open me to know more of your ways and know that your goodness surrounds me. Thank you for this time to be with you and to just listen. Amen

LISTEN. . Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.  When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.  “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”
The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”  “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at his word and departed. (John 4:45-50)

CONSIDER. . . Signs provide an opening to faith, but signs in themselves do not guarantee faith dependent on them.  Jesus healed many people and performed powerful works, yet many still did not believe in him.  This scripture tells us that Jesus performed another sign and the royal official not only rejoiced in the miracle of his son's healing but also came to see beyond the miracle itself.  When a miracle is fully understood as a sign, it points to who Jesus truly is--the giver of life--and Jesus points to who God is.  This is the grounds for our faith. 

SO WHAT. . . Every Sunday I ask the congregation, "where have you seen God at work in your life, how have you been blessed by God this week". Many times, we have a difficult time identifying those "signs", identifying where God is at work, identifying where God's hand has made a difference. We don't recognize God at work because we overlook the presence of Christ in our daily lives. Good and wonderful things happen in our lives every day, even on the worst of days; we just don't attribute them to God. We have to be able to see beyond the sign and recognize the presence of  Christ in the situation. However, instead of asking for a sign, ask for the grace to know the presence of God in our ordinary human experiences.

• Where do you see God's hand in your daily life?
• How can you open your eyes to the answered needs in your life?
• Can you be more aware of the presence of Christ in every situation?

During this Lenten season may you remember that even in the most difficult of situations, every day, God is with you and all will be well, no matter the outcome.

PRAYER. . . Dear God, reveal to me your loving presence on this day and the days to come. Give me eyes to see and heart open to your amazing grace.  May you increase my faith and help me to place my life into your care. Amen.

You are always invited to comment on this post or any of the previous ones.