By Dale Ward of Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.

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[Adapted from “Answer the Call,” Jan/Feb 2024 Herald, p. 40]

“Hello, Poppo,” squawked the walkie-talkie in my hand.

“Hello, Ollie,” I answered back to the rear of the campervan. And, as one does with a three-year-old, we repeated that interaction several times. We didn’t say much after hello—that wasn’t important.

What was important (and fun for a grandpa) was the connection. What mattered was not what was said but that we each had a buddy on the other end of the line. A buddy that we could reach out to anytime and know they were there.

The walkie-talkies reminded me a bit of our job as disciples of Christ. We are called to be the “hello” at the other end of the line for people seeking community. We are called to press the talk button and reach out to those who might be looking for a community.

I also think it means we need to be ready to answer the walkie-talkie call from anyone we meet. We need to be ready to share the reason for hope we find in Christ. Press the talk button and invite someone you know to church.

Prayer Phrase

“…I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Spiritual Practice

Open Hands

Stand or sit with your hands extended in front of you. Prayerfully ponder all that you hold in your hands that make you feel too full, busy, drained, or closed. Spread your hands up and apart to release these burdens; then hold them open and empty them again. Thank God for relationships that fill and feed your spirit. Pray for a generous heart and open hands that reach out to make room for all in the circle of Christ’s community.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.