Saturday of Week 25 in Ordinary Time
Ecc 11:9-12:8
Lk 9:43-45
….when everyone was full of admiration for all he did…
So who amazes you with their deeds these days?
An athlete? A singer? A business owner? A child? A family member? A friend? Someone barely keeping their head above water, or someone who ‘has it all together’? Or Jesus?
If you’re like me, it’s all the above! I am an avid sports watcher – and tennis is my favourite. The tennis athletes are the ones who amaze me the most with their skill, talent, focus and mindset. Singers – I sing poorly (but I still sing!) and I love to listen to great voices! My child – well, she’s 27, but she amazes me daily! My Aunt Zelphia – she amazes me with her heart for everyone and Jesus at the top of the list. A few friends who were born into hard, messy, and even dangerous homes who have worked diligently, daily, to better themselves and their environment. Friends who do have a successful career life and/or marriage and/or family AND give God the glory while staying humble and philanthropic.
And Jesus and his Father – they amaze and astonish me the most. Impeccable timing. Glorious artwork that exceeds in natural beauty every second. Sprinkles of favour. Huge raindrops of grace. Thunderstorms of mercy. Hurricanes and tsunamis of forgiveness and oceans of love.
And all this beauty, favour, grace, mercy, forgiveness and love He has in us so that we can turn and give to others.
Wouldn’t today be a good time to start doing that all the time? Why don’t we make a silent prayer pact with each other, to be a human vessel of brotherhood to everyone who comes into our space every day? Why don’t we give what we have received to everyone as generously as He has given us? We can be His hands — with daily deeds of beauty, favour, grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. We can quietly be amazing beneath the watch of God Almighty. It may seem daunting – so maybe we could just start with one day a week – and then add another day every month. Most of our deeds will go unnoticed. Our deeds of beauty, favour, grace, mercy, forgiveness and love may never reach the impact of hurricanes and tsunamis, or even thunderstorms, but they can be huge raindrops and sprinkles – and who knows how God may choose to add to our raindrops and sprinkles of beauty, favour, grace, mercy, forgiveness and love.
Let’s start today.
It will cost us something – love is a sacrifice – and if we choose to love Christ, then there is only one path – that of passing on abundant flowing beauty, favour, grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. We will have to sacrifice a little time. We will have to be intentional. We will have to be on purpose. We will have to spend more time one on one with God. Just as Jesus did. Yes, we will have to sacrifice to be His vessel of beauty, favour, grace, mercy, forgiveness and love; but we won’t have to sacrifice in the manner that He did for us.
And they’ll know we are Christians by our small yet amazing deeds of beauty, favour, grace, mercy forgiveness and love.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Gina Ulicny)
Prayer: Father, today I’ve made a decision and I am going to need your help. I have decided to turn my days into amazing deeds of beauty, favour, grace, mercy, forgiveness and love. Toward everyone. Lord, I know it isn’t going to be easy and there are going to be moments – days – when I don’t want to be like Jesus, but Father I am asking for your constant reminder to me of the beauty, favour, grace, mercy, forgiveness and love that You have already enveloped me in.
Thanksgiving: Father, thank you for the beauty all around me that you’ve allowed my eyes to see, my ears to hear, my heart to love and my arms to hold. Thank you for the favour that shines on my path. Thank you for the grace that walks with me. Thank you for the mercy that has sheltered me. Thank you for the forgiveness that has engulfed me. And thank you for the ocean of love that lifts me.
OXYGEN 
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