O God:
Give me strength to live another day;
Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties;
Let me not lose faith in other people;
Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness;
Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them;
Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly
that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of
conscious integrity;
Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things;
Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth;
Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness;
and make me the cup of strength to suffering souls;
in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
John 1:50-51 “You will see greater things than
these.” And he said to him, “Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven
opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of
Man.”
Perhaps you have never seen heavenly
visions or witnessed a bona fide miracle. Neither have I. I certainly
have not seen heaven open and angels ascending and descending upon the
Son of Man. At least, I don’t think I have.
I
have seen extraordinary compassion expressed by people serving among
the homeless and needy in my community. I’ve heard beautiful music
played to the glory of God. I’ve witnessed love expressed in large and
small ways.
Am I, like Nathaniel, focusing
on small miracles when I should be hoping to see angels descending from
heaven? Or are the small, everyday miracles of love and compassion
evidence enough? I’m not certain. But that uncertainty leads me to seek
God, wherever I can, in hope that I will one day see “greater things
than these.”
