Tuesday, March 20: “Gather Us In”

Tuesday, March 20: Gather Us In

God calls us all to the light of a new day, to His kingdom, to forgiveness, love, and eternal life. He calls us all “to be light to the whole human race” and “salt for the earth”… not just our inner circle of friends, or our church community, or those who look and think like us. He calls all of His children. God doesn’t make the distinctions that men do. He calls us all with our differences – the young and the old, the men and the women, the smart and the simple, the brave and the frightened. “Gather us in, the lost and forsaken” as well as the self-assured and the connected; “gather us in, the blind and the lame” as well as the whole and the healthy; “gather us in, the rich and the haughty” as well as the poor and the humble; “gather us in, the proud and the strong” as well as the ashamed and the weak. “Gather us in and make us your own; gather us in, all peoples together.

God will give us courage; He will nourish us; He will teach us to live “lives that are holy” and have “hearts that are true”. For we are one in Christ, which equalizes and levels and blends diversity into unity. We are all God’s people, brothers and sisters who He calls still, now. Especially during Lent, we should reflect on our faith and our relationships with God and one another. Seeking forgiveness, praising our Lord, strengthening each other, we should answer His call.

Prayer: Dear God, we hear your call and we gather in each of our circumstances, just as we are. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Your Son and for providing a way out of the darkness and into new life forever. Amen.

Leslie Willet