Exodus 3:9 (our own burning bush…)

Let’s welcome God every morning by reflecting on this short Living In Faith Exchange (LIFE) Group devotion (life-devotions.blogspot.com), which is based on Living Faith. All whatsoever you do in word or in work, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Col. 3:17

The cry of the Israelites has reached me. Exodus 3:9 (full readings)

Living Faith snippets: “Why, O Lord, don’t you hear the cry of this suffering child I know whose anguish is palpable? How many laments does it take before you turn to us? The Israelites, slaves in Egypt, cried for 200 years before you beckoned to Moses from the burning bush. Perhaps that bush had been burning all along, and Moses was the first to see and stop. At any rate, he paid a price for stopping to listen. You sent him to Pharaoh to free the people. We know the many trials Moses underwent in fulfilling this mission. Lord, you ask much of those you call. You ask everything. You call us to become blazing, inconsumable fires. You urge us to become prophets, liberators, healers. You teach us to feel others’ suffering and to respond with mercy. Lord, in Christ you became one of us. Help us to become like you.” by Mary Marrocco

Faith Challenge: Let’s challenge each other to joyfully live out the Good News.
* NEW: Let’s open our eyes and ears to hear God calling us from our own burning bush…calling us to embrace His eternal gifts of love and strength (Jesus, Holy Spirit)…calling us to love and serve our neighbors at home and work.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, American Family Association, Priests for Life

* Let’s never forget the horrific reality of abortion (images)…#1 cause of death in America. Let’s courageously share ProLife Truth (John 14:6) to create social tension for exposing abortion’s unjust peace…rebuilding a Culture of Life (Matt 5:16) and setting the unborn free!

Our Prayers: Those who pray together stay together. Fasting ideas in footnote below.

* Prayer to end abortion, abused children, chastity, peace, our enemies, our troops, depression/ despair, prisoners, ProLife politicians, illnesses/injuries, jobs, natural disasters, addictions, Nana Suzie (prayer of thanksgiving for each “good day” that JP experiences), Stephanie Spader (for a family with unexpected pregnancy), Carla Neal (Mandy & Craig have a family emergency)
* NEW: Rob Rysavy (for a coworker’s wife who is battling an illness), Iran airliner crash

Feast Day: St. Bonaventure

Faith Quote: “Prayer, study, devotion to the Master. Open those wells. Don’t let the enemy fill in the wells where you drink deeply.” Chad Livingston

Through Christ our Lord,
Pat

Phil 4:13

* Prayer: Prayer connects us with God’s will & His miracles, changing us & helping others. ‘If you pray that God will move a mountain and He doesn’t, assume Christ wants you to climb it instead.’

* Fasting: Let’s fast from things that take our eyes off Jesus (selfishness, bitterness, being so critical, impatience, gossip, excessive video games, etc) and take on things that fix our eyes on Jesus (selflessness, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding, caring, helping, listening).

* Defend the unborn: ‘Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die’ (Prov 24:11). ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you’ (Jer 1:5). ‘It is a great poverty that a child must die that you might live as you wish’ (Blessed Mother Teresa).

* Evangelization: Let’s make room for unbelievers (be a friend, make a friend, lead friend to Christ) and perpetual re-evangelization of self and those near us, by way of daily prayer (relationship) and following Christ’s example of selfless love, mercy, and service.