(For Better or Verse: Each day in 2025 I will begin this Godsfield e-mail with a Bible verse that corresponds with the month (chapter 1-12) and day (verse 1-31) it is sent. This month features a lot of fourth chapters! Those with eyes and ears, let them see and hear.)
Ephesians 4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
This one verse can stand alone, it can be cross-stitched and put on the kitchen wall, or post-it noted and stuck on the bathroom mirror to be seen frequently, just the last 11 words -- Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Or, if your cross-stitch skills or limited or the wall space small, four words will do: Live a life worthy.
Last night the March of Prayer concluded -- its 31st night of worship in the month, its 291st night over the last seven years. People say, "You must be glad its finally done. If that were so, I wouldn't have organized it in the first place, although I didn't imagine it would be so pleasant and blessed to be in so many houses of worship, unfamiliar with most of the surroundings, and physically impactful each night.
I enjoyed the opportunity to bless and acknowledge the Lord and our hosts each night, and especially enjoyed being in a worshipping, prayerful gathering each night, always different from night to night. And, always marching with a thought of the calling God has given -- not as a preacher, teacher, sax player or lighting technician, but as a child of the one true King, lifting up the name of Jesus in so many ways and places.
Last night, our concluding service (and it wasn't about a big finish, or kicking it in to cross the finish line) simply brought the March to its last night of corporate worship, of scheduled gathering, in time for tonight, March 32nd, in which the March of Prayer continues -- wherever you are.
It may be alone at the desk, or around a table as a family, or with a group of strangers at Krogers. It may be riding the lawn tractor (weather permitting), or practicing running around the track (weather permitting) or setting up the back patio (weather permitting). It may be in Bible reading, pod listening or worship watching, as well as text reading, Spotify listening and Netflix watching.
It may be in anything you find yourself observing or doing -- March in a manner worthy of the your calling: A forgiven child of God. Not perfect, forgiven, full of fresh starts and new opportunities.
Last night, Storyside rolled out the red carpet (well, fluorescent yellow traffic cones, actually) and brought together an evening of music and prayer, testimony and teaching, praise and celebration of the calling to which we all are called -- to focus on Jesus and His love for us, in order to connect with each other through him.
Several prayed intentionally for children, students, families, mental health, addiction recovery and government leaders and others in authority.
Pastor Micah offered reflections on the Lord's Prayer (it's so valuable for me to hear a sermon, oops, message, that is not coming out of my mouth!) and condensed a 45 minute talk into seven (holy number). As many had done before this month, the Spirit was urgently requested to make the words count, and the hearts receive.
The parts of the prayer were described with ten words that each begin with the letter P. Want to see it? Here you go:
When I see such lists -- and this is a good one -- I wonder if it can be done with other letters, or how hard it would be to translate it into another language, or how much of it would fit on a post-in on my bathroom mirror. But that is in between my thinking about the words, and usually only happens during the 45-minute version.
It was another family reunion, an indication of what Heaven might be like, especially the cookies afterward, but a gathering of many souls, some very familiar and easy to embrace, and others unfamiliar, and yet easy to embrace.
Lots of spokes, Jesus as the hub.
Marching worthy of the calling, into April Showers of Prayer, May Pray, soon June, July Reply, August Prayergust, Steptember into Prayer; Oktoberblest, November Remember, and December Prayer Members. (No, not planning any of that!)
The Holy Spirit, however, may have something in mind.
Love ya,
Paul