Blessed - August 5

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:97-120; PM Psalm 81, 82; Judges 7:19-8:12;  Acts 3:12-26;  John 1:29-42

“When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” Acts 3:26

For a long time, I’ve understood “home” to mean the place where I feel the most alive, the most safe, the most authentic, the most acceptance, and the most love and mercy. This place has been the house I’ve lived in here in Birmingham with my husband and family for almost 20 years now, it’s the 400-square-foot apartment where I live by myself in Austin, Texas for residential seminary, and most  importantly, home dwells within me at the heart and soul of who I am as a way of being. For me, Home is not just a location, it’s a way of life, and it’s the place where I experience the strongest, truest, richest relationships and feel closest to God. Home is my sanctuary, regardless of where I am physically.

There was a period in my life when I didn’t have this feeling of Home. I was lost and lonely. I was not happy, and I knew something was missing from my life, but I couldn’t seem to find the thing that would bring me comfort and belonging. I was not connected to people or God in a way that was lifegiving or true. You might say I was lame, as a slur, but that’s accurate. I needed healing, most of all my heart needed healing.

As I found my way to St. Stephen’s, this part of my faith journey initiated that sense of God’s presence that I once had and I began to discover that God was with me the whole time; yet I had turned away from God and was feeling lonely and afraid as a result. I had been rejecting the life source of Christ because I felt like I had my life all under control on my own. In finding my way Home to God, one of the biggest steps has been self-examination and repentance. This is something we do together within Christian community whenever we pray the Confession of Sin. We’ve been praying this daily during “Coronatide” as we’ve gathered virtually for Morning Prayer.

Friends, prayer is the key to the house that brings us to our true Home with God and our neighbor. Peter healed the lame man outside the Temple by faith in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and taught the Israelites to have faith in Jesus and to repent from human ways of wickedness to the way of Love that Jesus came to show us. This teaches us that we are dependent on GOD because our ways do not work. Repentance is one of the most important paths to God. Whenever I pray the confession, there’s a deep sense of knowing within my heart that I am loved beyond measure through God’s grace and mercy. Day by day, this prayer reconciles me and strengthens the Holy Abiding Connection with God and each other. Through returning to God, I am blessed. And so are you!

— Susan Oakes, Seminarian

Susan Oakes is a rising senior at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. This summer, she is serving as a seminarian intern at Saint Stephen's, her sponsoring parish for ordination.

Questions:

What metaphor describes the presence of God in your life?

Have you thought about how you turn away from God?

Challenge:

Pray the Confession of Sin with intention by taking a few moments beforehand to examine the thoughts, words, and actions you’ve engaged during the past day or week. Identify what bubbles up and give that some focus. It’s difficult work, but there’s great joy and blessing on the other side of the effort!