Prayer: Dear God, I pray that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I may fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. Amen
Reading: Ephesians 6: 10-20 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: The prayer above is actually what Paul asked the Ephesians to pray for him in verse 19 in the text for today. Paul, who had so much to say, asked the people of the church to pray that whenever he opened his mouth, words would be given to him that he might fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. What a good idea! Whenever you open your mouth, speak good news. That's not to say every conversation must be about Christ crucified and risen. Every interaction does not need to be "churchy". Surely even Paul had time for small talk about nothing special. Still, all words spoken can come from a spirit of faith, a mind set on hope and a heart of love. From there, a long conversation be a positive sharing of the ordinary stuff of life. A chat in the grocery store can be moments of care and gratitude. A one word greeting with a genuine smile can brighten a day. Fearlessly making known the mystery of the gospel is sometimes in the wonder of the listener - "Where does that faith, hope and love come from?" It's a mystery. It's Good News! --Ruth Gates, Camp Mount Luther Family Camper
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