Cristo 3: Outstretched Arms
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Bless the LORD, my soul; and do not forget all his gifts. —Psalm 103:2 NAB
See that neighborhood in background? Each house there requires regular maintenance and repairs. There is a mortgage to pay and the always-rising taxes. It might sometimes feel like a burden to the owners and it might be easy to complain about costs and responsibilites while forgetting the Lord's gifts such as shelter from inclement weather, modern amenities, and a field of flowers nearby.
But this child of God in the foreground is secure in the Lord's provision and she takes time to delight in the wonder of nature. She is not forgetting the Lord's gifts!
PRAYER
Lord, let me be childlike in this moment, recognizing the simple gifts and beauties before me. I give to you all my responsibilities and trust that you will provide.
QUOTE
Let not your soul forget all His benefits: for if it forgets, it becomes ungrateful; and if it becomes ungrateful, it becomes proud. — St. Augustine (354-430 AD)*
THOUGHT
When we focus on small gifts from the Lord, we forget our selfish demands.
For a Visio Divina exercise that accompanies this devotion along with a question for journaling, visit https://www.lisalivezey.com/post/childlikewonder
Lisa Livezey writes from Pennsylvania where she found her way to Rome via the Anglican Ordinariate. She is the author of Minding Mom: A Caregiver's Devotional Story (En Route Publishing) and contributes to the National Catholic Register, Guideposts books and devotionals, and more. Her weekly photo devotions found at lisalivezey.com/olivetree are viewed worldwide and utilized by Visio Divina prayer groups. Lisa is a wife, mom, and grandma, volunteers in church and civic settings, and serves on the executive team at Heart of the Father Ministries. She credits her husband with giving her name alliteration and sometimes on summer weekends can be spotted sailing the Chesapeake Bay alongside her spouse.
