Scripture: Romans 15:1-13

Key verses: (5-6) 5May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection: I got to attend a musical performance of “The Color Purple” recently. It was funny and touching — a powerful statement of faith in self and in the presence of a loving God. I was struck by the blending of voices in harmony during some beautiful and haunting duets. In the middle of a story with some truly terrible moments in it, there is a remarkable prayer of thanks to God.

Dear God, dear stars, dear trees, dear sky, dear peoples, dear everything, dear God
God is inside me and everyone else that was or ever will be
I came into this world with God and when I finally looked inside
I found it just as close as my breath is to me
Rising like the sun is the hope that sets us free
Your heartbeat make my heart beat
When we share love
Like a plate of corn, like a honeybee, like a waterfall
All a part of me
Like the color purple. Where do it come from?
Now my eyes are open. Look what God has done
It take a grain of love to make a mighty tree
Even the smallest voice can make a harmony
Like a drop of water in the river high
There are miracles for you and I. I don’t think us feel old at all
I think this is the youngest us ever felt, yes
Amen

Prayer: Enjoy this sung prayer from the Broadway production with Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Hudson.

Author: Julie Hester

[Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved].