It Is Finished (Week 4): SATURDAY

With all the noise in the world, do you hear the voice of God?  Your calendar tells you what to do, but do you remember who you are?  Being comes before doing.  This is a call to put first things first.  Return to the Lord with this daily pattern of prayer and devotion.  Set aside this time as a sanctuary.  Find a space free of distraction and follow this pattern. 

Invitation Prayer
O God, the Psalm says, “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”  (Psalm 103:13)  So I am quick to run to you.  I know you look on me with compassion.  So I come to you first.  I rush into your arms.  I speak into your ear.  As my Father in heaven, hear my voice today.  In Jesus name, Amen.
  
Confession
Forgive my sins, O Lord – forgive me the sins of my present and the sins of my past, the sins of my soul and the sins of my body; the sins which I have done to please myself, and the sins which I have done to please others.  Forgive me my wasted and idle sins, forgive me my serious and deliberate sins, forgive me those sins which I know and those sins which I know not, the sins which I have labored so to hide from others that I have hid them from my own memory.  Forgive them, O Lord, forgive them all. 

Word  
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion . . .” (Col. 3:12)

 Meditation
Do you like clothes?  Are you interested in trendy styles and fashion?  Or could you care less about what you wear?  Regardless, we hold one piece of clothing in common.  As Christians, compassion is part of our wardrobe.  We wear it not out of compulsion, but gratitude.  We are “God’s chosen ones.”  We are recipients of his compassion.  Therefore, we “put on” what he has given us to wear.  We are cloaked in Christ our compassionate Lord.  When people look at us, they say, “Wow, we haven’t seen that before.”  We wear Christ, our style is in line with him.  Our look is reflective of his compassion.  

Consider this question today:  What compassionate words or actions will be part of your wardrobe this week?
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 God, you’ve given me a new wardrobe.  Fit me with compassion and assist me to live my life according to the uniform you have given.  Amen. 

Sending Prayer
Lord of compassion, you have called us into a new family by the blood of your cross.  Give us your spirit of compassion that we might love one another as you have loved us.  You love me and you send me.  I now go in your name.  Amen.  

​​*Today's devotion is taken from It Is Finished by Jeff Cloeter, published by CTA – Christ to All at ctainc.com