SCRIPTURE

He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. - Acts 17:24-25 NLT

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PRAYER

Dear God,

It has been so easy to box you up and keep you at church, take you out Sunday morning, and then put you back in your place and leave you there. Then, I can take control of the reins and start leading my life as I want. But, if there’s one thing this pandemic has proven, it is that I am not in control of my life, someone else is. You aren’t sitting in a box at church waiting for the assembly to gather so you can come out for a visit; you are here with us now, filling heaven and earth, meeting our greatest needs. It is my choice to surrender the reins, and I do, to you. You give me breath and sustain my life. And while you need nothing, I do pray my life brings you honor and glorifies your name.

Amen.

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JOURNAL REFLECTION

How have you “put God in his place”? Do you find yourself taking him out of the box more and more and surrendering to his authority, or are you putting him away and trying to control your own life? If you have believed that he resides at the church building, how has this pandemic and phased opening changed your opinion?

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CALL TO ACTION

As fallible humans, it’s our inclination to wrestle with God for control of our lives, and this tendency can get worse when we are distressed. As today’s prayer powerfully reminds us, it is up to us to surrender control to God, trust him, and lean on him in times of difficulty and joy. Today, make time to reflect on how you access God in your daily life–do you only seek him during Sunday services or when you are at church, or do you rely on him above all else in your life?