Reading of the Day: Ephesians 3:16-17
“I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are beingrooted and grounded in love.”
My faith did not awaken within me until I was a teenager. My parents were Baptist, and people weren’t baptized until they became an adult. Sundays were days of putting on our best clothes and having dinner with family and friends, rather than going to a house of worship. Our parents knew that God would see us, no matter where we were, or what we wore or did. When I was old enough to make my own faith decision, I chose the Lutheran doctrine, and was baptized and confirmed the same year. While testing my faith, and to really know that I made the right decision in choosing a church where I felt I “belonged,” I visited several churches of other denominations close to my home. I was under the assumption that a person did NOT go to a church of their choice unless they could WALK to it. It’s been amazing to know the number of people who live in another state that come to Gloria Dei because of their faith in God and everything he can do. I experienced a wonderful transformation of faith this past January while traveling with a small group of Gloria Dei members on a mission trip to Catholic San Lucas Toliman in Guatemala. I’ve always admired the fact that the newly baptized young people of Gloria Dei get a gown proclaiming them a child of God. In a conversation with Pastor Susan, I mentioned that I would like to have a gown as a remembrance of my baptism, since I didn’t get anything like that when I chose to become Lutheran as a teen. While traveling, I was informed that one of my sisters had become critically ill.
Within a short period of time, the Catholic Community of San Lucas knew that a Gloria Dei member had received sorrowful news. Before I left San Lucas, I was presented with a beautiful adult version of the baptismal gown. When I arrived back in Minnesota I went directly to the hospital. My sister’s faith choice was to become Catholic. While she couldn’t respond to my dialogue regarding the trip and the gown, she clutched a Rosary and I could tell that she was listening. She passed away January 30, 2006, knowing that I was grounded in my faith, that God sees all things, hears all things, and endures all things. We are humbled to be making this faith journey through weeklyword and song together. Thanks be to God.
PRAYER: Mighty and everlasting God, thank you for grounding me in faith. Continue to bless me, strengthen me and watch over me. Keep my eyes focused only on you and your will for my
life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.