April 14th - Reflection

Philippians 1:1-11 (NRSV)
Encouraged to follow Christ's righteousness
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.


I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Reflection
Those childhood night-time prayers still apply today and always. We think of all the people in our lives and give thanks to God for each of them. Today we thank God for all the wonderful relationships that have been given to us and give God thanks. We pray for the well being of each person. We pray for God to guide and protect our friends, neighbors, and enemies as well. We pray for so many other people that God has graciously given to us.

A relationship of love that overflows to God in thanks. Jesus life was that same overflow of love. I always pictured Jesus, as he was pouring the wine into the cup, filling the cup till some of it overflowed and spilled. This cup of love is still spilling and flowing today. Jesus love spills over and fills the world with his love as we continue spilling that very same love from the cups that we take. Spilled love of God in the relationships of those God gives to us day after day.

And maybe that's our simple daily call. A call to spill that love of Christ to each person we meet each day. Spill a little and see the disciples of Jesus follow. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Each day you fill me with Word. Word made flesh. Each day, Lord you come to my door and invite me out into a relationship with you and with others. Your precious saving blood unites us. May we spill a little of the love on one another this day. May someone else see you as the Messiah, the Savior, our God and leave it all behind to blindly and boldly follow you. --- Amen