Daily Prayer: a resource of Forward Movement

The Forward Day by Day Meditation for April 15, 2018

We post a Forward Day by Day Meditation for every day of the year - and we invite you to consider them and talk about them here. If you'd like to comment, you can log in to Disqus with your Facebook, Twitter, or Google account; just click "Login," or the appropriate logo below. Or, you can sign up for a Disqus account; just use the entry form below, or click the "D" logo to start the process. You can find the past week's Meditations in the box at right (or below, for mobile users), or search for previous entries on the Archives page.

Please note: you won't be able to use the Comment feature unless you enable Javascript in your browser. In general, your overall experience on the Daily Prayer site will be greatly enhanced if you enable Javascript.

SUNDAY, April 15 3 Easter

Acts 7:51 You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do.

Human beings are endlessly complicated, frail, and stubborn. Not only do we bear the image of God, we also bear the likeness of one another—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Proof of our frailty is found in our ability to rehearse and rehash our mistakes over and over again. It can sometimes seem like we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past, even if we are aware of them.

What is true—and more powerful than our never-ending stubborn opposition to the Holy Spirit—is God’s grace toward us. We stand in constant need of redemption. Thank goodness God possesses an endless supply of mercy and grace and is always ready to give us far more than we deserve, ask for, or could imagine.

A first step in stopping the endless cycle of hardheartedness is letting down our defenses—exposing our necks, laying bare our hearts, and unstopping our ears—truly opening ourselves to God’s endless and abundant love.

MOVING FORWARD: Are you pushing against the Holy Spirit over an issue or relationship in your life? How can you be more vulnerable and accepting of God’s plans?

Good Book Club Reading: Acts 7:1-60

PRAY for the Diocese of Calcutta (India)