For Such A Time as This July 1, 2020 – Karen Haldeman

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To the Good Folk of the Palmyra Church of the Brethren,

Joys and Concerns

If you have a joy or concern you would like us to share and pray about, please call, text or email it to me.  If you would like it included in our Sunday Worship sharing and prayer time, please share it with me that week by Friday morning.

Pray for:

·   Mary Brown asks for prayers for the family of her dear friend Becky.  Becky died last week due to complications from COVID-19.   Becky was 60 years young.

Thank You: 

To all who call others to check in on them and share our emails and devotions.

Today’s Devotion:

I am thankful to Karen Haldeman for providing today’s devotion.  If you wish to respond to Karen directly, her email address is kbhaldeman@verizon.net. 

Shalom, Dennis

Scripture - Matthew 5:16 (NRSV)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Thoughts

Have you been enjoying the nightly “light show” put on by lightning bugs recently?  Where we live north of Palmyra, hundreds of them float out of the hay field behind our house each evening just after sunset.  I haven’t caught any this year, but I have childhood memories of keeping a couple in a jar beside my bed overnight.

Lightning bugs remind me of the phrase “a thousand points of light,” written by CS Lewis in his Chronicles of Narnia book series and popularized 30 years ago by President George Bush.  The verse from Matthew (above) also evokes images of the lightning bugs’ beacons.  In this verse, we are called to be beacons as we live and serve in the ways of Jesus, bringing love and grace to those who see us.

What light are we shining these days?  As we smile (through a mask) at a check-out clerk, we shine kindness during a time of fear and stress.  As we generously share our time and resources to help a neighbor, we shine grace during a time of need.  As we work together as the Good Folk of Palmyra Church of the Brethren, through our presence and ministry, we shine love and hope to our community during a time of uncertainty.

When you see lightning bugs this evening, take a minute to reflect on what light you were able to shine on those around you today.  (And then maybe try to catch one or two!)

Prayer

God of light, thank you for the lightning bugs that remind us we also shine light into the world around us.  May we do so faithfully.

 

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