May 9th, 2022
Today’s devotion was originally printed in The Upper Room.
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The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. - Matthew 6:22 (NRSV)
In the COVID-19 world of social distancing, officers at our correctional facility have gotten creative in the games they devise for inmates. The latest contest involved competitive vision tests. I was happy to learn the winner was an inmate in my cellblock.
I went to congratulate him and noticed he was sad. He told me of his eagerness to be released and see his family. To my surprise, he opened up about his life and the events that had led him here. I asked him to join me in a prayer. When we finished, I encouraged him to take heart in the words of Revelation 3:20: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.” I invited him to the worship service in the chapel that evening.
Back in my cell, I paused to reflect. My neighbor reminded me that we can be blessed with 20/20 eyesight and still fail to “see” the obstacles that keep us from God. Luckily, God is steadfast and patient. When we place our trust in our Savior, the Holy Spirit opens our spiritual eyes to see the path that God has laid before us, always leading toward our good.
- Carlos Vázquez (Florida, USA)
Today's Prayer
All-knowing God, give us eyes to see you clearly and the people you have given us to love. Empower us, Holy Spirit, that we may be faithful and encourage others. Amen.
_________________________
The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. - Matthew 6:22 (NRSV)
In the COVID-19 world of social distancing, officers at our correctional facility have gotten creative in the games they devise for inmates. The latest contest involved competitive vision tests. I was happy to learn the winner was an inmate in my cellblock.
I went to congratulate him and noticed he was sad. He told me of his eagerness to be released and see his family. To my surprise, he opened up about his life and the events that had led him here. I asked him to join me in a prayer. When we finished, I encouraged him to take heart in the words of Revelation 3:20: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.” I invited him to the worship service in the chapel that evening.
Back in my cell, I paused to reflect. My neighbor reminded me that we can be blessed with 20/20 eyesight and still fail to “see” the obstacles that keep us from God. Luckily, God is steadfast and patient. When we place our trust in our Savior, the Holy Spirit opens our spiritual eyes to see the path that God has laid before us, always leading toward our good.
- Carlos Vázquez (Florida, USA)
Today's Prayer
All-knowing God, give us eyes to see you clearly and the people you have given us to love. Empower us, Holy Spirit, that we may be faithful and encourage others. Amen.
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