By Julie Conway-Sword of Blue Springs, Missouri, USA

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The Spirit impressed on me, “You could help him, Julie.” As I approached the grocery checkout, I noticed a one-armed man in front of me. He was struggling to extract change from his small coin purse. “May I help you?” I asked.

Looking up, his kind smile showed his gratitude.

Another time I heard, “See if you can assist him, Julie.: I wondered who I could help. Then rounding the bend in the road, I saw a white truck with its right rear wheel in the ditch. Slowly walking from the truck was a man using a cane.

“Is your truck in trouble?” I asked.
“Yes, I didn’t notice the grass-covered sharp corner as I turned onto this road, and now I need to be towed out of the ditch,” he replied.
“Stay here, while I get help,” I answered. The man climbed back into his truck to wait for a tow.

When I was returning a DVD movie to the library, I passed an elderly man, leaning forward on a bench. Again, I became aware of the Spirit.

“There’s sadness on that man’s face, Julie.” His head tilted down with a lost look in his eyes. When I was ready to leave, I again passed by. He still sat in a dejected pose.

“Are you all right?” I asked.
“No, I’m depressed, but how did you know?”
“Your head was tilted down.”
“I need someone to do something for me,” he replied.
“What if I pray for you? Would that help?”
“Oh, yes.”

The Spirit is always speaking to us. Let’s watch for the needs so prevalent in our world and listen for what we might do.

Prayer Phrase

“Bear one another’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2).

Spiritual Hunger

Jesus discerned hungers of body and spirit, and he fed them through a physical, verbal, spiritual ministry of presence. In a time of listening prayer, ask God to help you discern physical or spiritual hungers of people in your congregation, community, and global family. Invite the Spirit to move you to one hospitable act that “feeds” someone’s hunger today.

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.