St. James United Methodist Church

St. James offices will be closed TODAY, September 2nd in honor of Labor Day. If you are in emergent need of Pastoral Care, please call 501-217-6784.

🍁 Exciting news! The UWF Fall Kickoff Meeting is just around the corner! Don't miss out - remember to RSVP by September 3rd to secure your spot! 🎉

August 2024 Devotionals: Fully Known Day 12

LISTEN HERE: https://soundcloud.com/user-102621138/fk12?in=user-102621138/sets/fully-known-aug-2024&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

8/30- Psalm 26
“Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you. I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O Lord, singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all your wondrous deeds. O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides. Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty, those in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes. But as for me, I walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. My foot stands on level ground; in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.”
It is so hard to be open, honest, and vulnerable. Even with the people we know and love the most. I have witnessed couples who have been married for decades sit in my office, and after much thought and council, finally tell the truth about some hurt, hang-up, or frustration that has been festering for years. In a desperate act of self-preservation, we wall ourselves off from others and God.
The author of the Psalm for today models a different path. He says to God, “Prove me”. He is asking God to take a deep look into his heart to check and see if the author is as faithful as he thinks he is. He is laying himself bare before God, asking to be tested and reviewed. That is a powerful act of faith, one that I am sure many of us are not quite ready to do. We struggle with this idea of being fully open, completely honest, vulnerable and empathetic. We are afraid we would be rejected, mocked, abandoned, and so we keep to ourselves the dirty and broken parts in hopes that family, friends, and the world will love the best versions of ourselves that we can muster.
But God already sees our hearts, so our willingness to be vulnerable with the Lord has far less to do with God knowing us, and far more to do with our willingness to lay down the walls and be open to God’s guiding hand and correcting words. We want God to know us so God can change us and then God can come to know a new version of us that has been forgiven, reborn, and restored. I think to the story of creation, when Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden of Eden free of shame, completely vulnerable before God. When sin entered the picture though, they saw their vulnerability and nakedness as an outward symbol of their shame, something in need of covering up. What this tells us is that God desires to walk with us in the garden where we keep nothing hidden, but rather open ourselves fully to God so that we can truly know one another.
Fully known, that is what we are after here. Not just so we have the information, but that it will lead to our transformation. God is calling out to us. Let’s answer the call.

1. How can you feel more comfortable being vulnerable with God?
2. How has this series helped your relationship with God?

🎉 Get ready for the ultimate Wednesday night fun! From kids to adults, we have something for everyone at Wednesday Night Live. Don't miss out! 🌟

August 2024 Devotionals: Fully Known Day 11

LISTEN HERE: https://soundcloud.com/user-102621138/fk-11?in=user-102621138/sets/fully-known-aug-2024&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

8/28- Isaiah 55:2-3 “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.”

I once had a really great friend absolutely break my heart. We were deep in a conversation about life and family, sharing memories and thinking of the future. About an hour into the conversation he asked me, “Ben, are you listening to me, or are you just waiting to talk?” Talk about a reality check. Truth be told, I was just waiting to talk. I had politely asked him a question or allowed him to share a story, but in reality, I was just waiting until he was finished so that I could tell my next story or share my next thought. I wasn’t truly listening to him, wasn’t fully accepting all of the love, joy, sadness, and hope that he was offering to me. Not only did I feel bad for doing this to my friend, but I wondered how many others had felt this way when in conversation with me, how many others felt like they weren’t heard or valued because of my inability to listen. I made a pledge then to learn to be a better listener, and I have studied and practiced the art of listening, even though I still struggle and often find myself talking as much as listening. The truth is, just asking someone questions isn’t enough to get to know them. You must be willing to really listen, paying attention to their answers to really learn about another person.
If this is hard to do with friends who are sitting right in front of us, especially with the cell phones that constantly beep and buzz reminding us of other people we need to talk to, imagine how hard it is with God. We aren’t talking to a person across the table, but rather a divine figure that can often feel a million miles away. This is where removing all distractions, finding a quiet place, and carving out time become really important. Just like we make time for our important earthly relationships that are free of distractions, we need to do the same for God. To give our hearts and minds room to hear God speaking to us. The last thing we would want God to say to us is what my friend said to me. Let us be a people who actively listen, pay deep attention, and seek to connect with God each day.
1. How can you be more present and active in your listening to God?
2. Do you really listen to others, or are you just waiting to speak? How can you be a better listener with other people in your life?

August 2024 Devotionals: Fully Known Day 10

LISTEN HERE: https://soundcloud.com/user-102621138/fk-10?in=user-102621138/sets/fully-known-aug-2024&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

8/26- James 1:5-6
“If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind;”
We have spent three weeks dealing with the “W” questions: why do we need God, why do we need to be known, who is God? Now we turn our attention to the “H” question: How. In this final week of the series, we are going to spend time looking at some practical ways that we can know God better.
The best way to get to know anyone is to ask them genuine questions about themselves. There are the surface level questions about family of origin, hometown, childhood, and career that begin to paint the portrait of someone else. But to really capture the detail of another, we have to ask the deeper questions about hopes and dreams, fears and doubts, passions and temptations. We need to know what stirs their soul to action and what tires them out. And the quickest way to get that information is to ask good questions of each other. We practice this all the time when meeting new people and in forming new relationships.
I don’t think we do it with God though, do we? At least I don’t. But maybe we should. What would it be like if in prayer we started asking God questions? Who are you in this moment God? What are you intending here? How can I line my life up with your story? We are asking for understanding, asking for wisdom. The scripture tells us to ask in faith, expecting God to answer. We also see throughout the Bible, God intends to be known, and has no desire to be hidden.
What would it look like for you if you treated your next time in prayer like a meeting over a cup of coffee with someone new? I think that no matter where we are on our faith journey if we spent time in prayer asking God to reveal Himself to us, to tell us more about who He is, we will get to know God better. We will see God answering that prayer in our scripture reading and worship. Conversations with friends might become messages from our Father. The passage for the day tells us that God will give this information generously, God wants us to know Him. Ask the questions, build a relationship, and let God change your life.
1. What is the first question you think you will ask God about God? Why?
2. Have you ever asked God to tell you who He is? Why or why not?

August 2024 Devotionals: Fully Known Day 9

LISTEN HERE: https://soundcloud.com/user-102621138/fk-9?in=user-102621138/sets/fully-known-aug-2024&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

8/23- John 14:26
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”
The Holy Spirit is often called the “Advocate” or “Sustainer”. I love that second one, mostly because of what it means to be someone who sustains. Here are the definitions of “sustain”: 1. to support, hold, or bear up from below; bear the weight of, as a structure. 2. to bear (a burden, charge, etc.). 3. to undergo, experience, or suffer (injury, loss, etc.); endure without giving way or yielding. 4. to keep (a person, the mind, the spirits, etc.) from giving way, as under trial or affliction. 5. to keep up or keep going, as an action or process.
Now think about a person who has done those things for you. Who has kept you from giving way, kept you moving, carried your burdens. When I am counting my blessings, I consider the number of sustainers that have been in my life. Chief among them, I think of a previous Senior Pastor who allowed me ample time off to visit my sick father. I think of co-workers who supported me in difficult times. I reflect on the sacrifices others have made so that I might have opportunities, and the way others have invested their time in me to help me grow. I think of my parents and their love for me. I think of my wife, and her unconditional support and strength. I have been sustained by others countless times in life.
All of this and so much more is what Jesus promises us that the Holy Spirit will do. The third part of the Trinity is often the one most veiled in mystery, but we need to see it clearly to know God fully. The Holy Spirit is the active presence of God in our lives, moving to help fight our battles, carry our burdens, and give us what we need to thrive as a faithful people. The Holy Spirit is at work right now to bring wholeness, hope, and love into your life. The Holy Spirit also works to teach us about how we can live faithfully in our world today, and to remind us of who we are. We come to know God through the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. So let us open our hearts to the reality of God’s sustaining presence, the Holy Spirit, and allow it to move boldly in our lives.

1. Who has been your greatest earthly sustainer? What is the story of their impact in your life?
2. How can you better connect and experience the presence of the Holy Spirit? Try spending some extra time in prayer?

THINGS HAPPENING AT ST. JAMES: Tai Chi
Every Tuesday and Thursday at the CLC from 12-1pm, enjoy this low-impact form of exercise, relax with deep breaths, and have a few laughs too. All ages are welcome to come as you please! Come unleash your inner Zen master! 🌿💫🌞

August 2024 Devotionals: Fully Known Day 8

LISTEN HERE: https://soundcloud.com/user-102621138/fk-8?in=user-102621138/sets/fully-known-aug-2024&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

8/21- Acts 4:12

“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. We know God exists as one God, in three persons, each unique parts of the same being. Jesus is God incarnate, made flesh, who walked among us. This belief, that Jesus was fully God and fully human who gave his life for us as the final sacrifice to overcome the debt of sinfulness is the hallmark of our Christian faith. Of course, Jesus was a wise teacher, a servant leader, and a role model of morality, but he was so much more than that. He is our conquering King, defeating the forces of evil, and overcoming the power of sin’s bo***ge on us. He is our savior.
To fully embrace Jesus as Savior though, we must understand what we are both saved “from” and saved “for”. Oftentimes, we focus on one or the other of these two and we limit the saving power of Christ in our lives. Jesus saves us from our slavery to sin and death and from the punishment that we should have to face. Our sinful disobedience to God should be punished with suffering, but, because of Jesus’s sacrifice on our behalf, we are saved from that. We are saved from being constantly trapped in temptation, and are given the ability to resist evil and injustice. But, if we only see Jesus’ work in our lives as saving us from the punishment of death and separation from God, then we begin to treat Jesus like a “Get Out of Jail Free” card from “Monopoly”. We continue to live sinful and disobedient lives asking for forgiveness whenever we feel it necessary. When we also realized what we are saved “for”, it leads us to change how we operate in the world around us. Jesus died to save us for a life of purpose and meaning, one of mission and ministry. Jesus saves us for a reason, so that we can live faithfully, embrace the love of God, and share that love with others.
Jesus is the only one who can save us from and for. Jesus was the only one willing to die so that we might have life abundant and life eternal. Jesus could certainly be called our master, our friend, our teacher, and Lord. But, I think the title that describes his most important work is that of Savior.

1. What do you most need Jesus to save you from? What do you most need Jesus to save you for?
2. How can you lean into Jesus as your Savior more today? Start by asking for forgiveness and allow him to save you.

Get ready for an exciting fall term at LifeQuest with over 50 amazing classes! Registration opens on August 20 - don't miss out on this opportunity to learn and grow. Sign up online, in-person or over the phone starting at 9:00 a.m.! 📚🍂

Yesterday marked a cherished tradition at St. James as we passed on the light of God's Word to twenty-two third graders. May they find guidance and strength within its pages, for a brighter future ahead. 📖🕊️✨

August 2024 Devotionals: Fully Known Day 7

LISTEN HERE: https://soundcloud.com/user-102621138/fk-7?in=user-102621138/sets/fully-known-aug-2024&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

8/19- Isaiah 45:12
“I made the earth, and created humankind upon it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host.”

So far we have discussed why it matters that we know God and how important it is to open ourselves to be known by God. This week we will dive into God’s character and roles. We could spend the next year reading through scripture and finding all of the descriptions of God’s character for us to discuss. Within our time constraints though, we will focus on three of the most universal and important characteristics of God that I believe we really need to know if we are going to live faithfully.
First, we must know God as creator. This is how we are introduced to God, as an all-powerful being who has the power to speak the universe into existence, Who brings order where there has only been chaos, Who reflects on the work of His words and hands and finds deep delight. God is innately creative.
I believe that some of my most profound moments with God, outside of the traditional means of grace: worship, sacraments, scripture study, etc, are when I am watching nature documentaries. In these, I get to see the vivid detail of the thousands of different creatures that mark our planet. From the birds of the sky to the beasts of the air, I am amazed by each one. My most recent was a deep look into the lives of Octopi and their incredible intelligence, color shifting, and problem solving abilities. As I watch, I cannot help but think of how God created each and every one of those creatures, uniquely and perfectly. Then I look around at all of humanity and think of how God created each and every one of us, uniquely and perfectly. This is the creative nature of God. We are made in that image and given that gift. To know God allows us to tap into the gift of creativity and use it to join with God in creating the Kingdom of God here on earth.
This also tells us that God is powerful. God didn’t just imagine the earth, God formed it. God didn’t just day dream about how fast a Cheetah could be or the size of a Blue Whale, God made them. God didn’t just make one, but set up a system in place where they could continue to multiply and thrive and ecosystems could be developed. The creativity of God is more than just mental exercise, but the convergence between mind and matter. This is the God we love and serve, the God who made you and me. Let us come to know that God better.
1. What thing that God has created causes you to stop and marvel in wonder?
2. How does knowing God as creator help you love God more?

August 2024 Devotionals: Fully Known Day 6

LISTEN HERE: https://soundcloud.com/user-102621138/fk-6?in=user-102621138/sets/fully-known-aug-2024&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

8/16- Ephesians 4:1-6

“I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”

John Quincy Adams had large shoes to fill. The son of the second President of our young nation, John Quincy Adams found himself thrust into American politics at a young age. His education took place all over Europe and ended at Harvard, before beginning a life of public service. For his whole life, John Adams was preparing his son to lead, serve, and continue the growth and prosperity of the United States of America. I have to imagine that there were moments of doubt for John Quincy, when he felt incapable and unprepared to step out his father’s shadow. I am sure that you have walked through similar seasons of doubt about your abilities and future. Can we get that promotion at work, are we good parents, are we being the best spouse we can be? These questions nag at us, and also prevent us from fulling living into our true potential.
This is where knowing who you are and WHOSE you are matters dramatically. When we believe that we are children of God, loved by God, trusted by God, and created for a purpose, those doubts about what we are capable of dissipate rapidly. Even more, when we begin to open our hearts to the idea that we are all called to some kind of ministry, we see a way for us to shape the world around us to look more like the Kingdom. In truth, most of us have multiple callings. I am called to be a Pastor, but I am also called to be Mary’s husband, while God has also called me to be a good father to my three children. You have been called to be a good friend, spouse, parent, grandparent, child, employee, or employer. Opening ourselves to the reality of God’s call for our lives allows us to embrace two truths. First, we are capable of far more than we give ourselves credit for because we are made in God’s image. Second, what we do and say matters. If we see the ordinary responsibilities of our lives as a part of the work God has given us to do, it leads us to doing those things with greater care and intention.
You are a child of God, filled with the Spirit of Christ. You can do great things because of the great God who lives in you. So consider seriously your callings, and what it is that God has for you to do.

1. Do you struggle with self-confidence? When do you doubt yourself the most?
2. Where do you think God is calling you? Have you ever thought about having multiple callings? How does that change things for you?

Join us for the United Women in Faith Fall Kickoff event on Thursday, September 5th at 11:30AM in Jones Hall. Guest speaker Lennie Massanelli from the Little Rock Sustainability Commission will be sharing insights. All are welcome to attend this inspiring gathering!

It's actually happening! Get ready for an incredible experience! Tomorrow at noon, Brother Ben is starting his Facebook Live Bible Study. Don't miss out on this uplifting event - see you then! 🙏✨

Guatemala Mission Trip Update:

Clinic Day 5 / Construction Day 4
Our last day we had the joy of setting up our clinic on the grounds at Xehuju! The joy of being BACK in Guatemala is always tempered by the sadness that it’s already over. But THAT is the mission field experience! Here was part of our day…

August 2024 Devotionals: Fully Known Day 5

LISTEN HERE: https://soundcloud.com/user-102621138/fk-5?in=user-102621138/sets/fully-known-aug-2024&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

8/14- Psalm 139

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.
You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.
You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.
For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.
How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
I try to count them—they are more than the sand; I come to the end—I am still with you.
O that you would kill the wicked, O God, and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—
those who speak of you maliciously, and lift themselves up against you for evil!
Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

I don’t think I will ever forget my first fight. Take that back, it’s not really the fight that I remember. Emblazoned in my memory is what happened after the fact. I had gotten into it with a school yard bully in defense of my best friend. Both the bully and I were caught by our P.E. teacher and sent to see the principal. I went home, unsure of whether or not to tell my parents what had happened. My 10 year old mind told me to keep it a secret, to hide it from my parents and not receive any further punishment. With each passing moment though, my guilty conscience grew. A pit developed in my stomach, and my nerves were shot. My parents seemed to be ignorant of that day’s deeds as we all sat down for supper together. I felt worse and worse about this skeleton that had been in my closet for all of 6 hours, and I vividly remember bursting into tears and confessing in fullness right in the middle of our family meal. I expected my parents to be shocked, to lecture me, to pick out a punishment worthy of my crime. Instead, they let me know that the principal had called after I left his office. Their ignorance was feigned, and they were testing me. They were proud of me for standing up for a friend, yet they reminded me to keep my hands to myself if at all possible. They also said my guilt had been punishment enough, as they had watched me squirm all afternoon. What I realize now is that I needed to confess, I needed to be forgiven, and I needed to be taught a lesson.
The truth is that we confess our sins to God not so God can find out what we have done and dole out our punishment. Our sinful actions have already separated us from God and we have to deal with the hurt we have done to ourselves or others. We confess our sins to God so that we can ask for forgiveness, so that we can find absolution, so that we can start fresh. We have this tendency to want to cover up our sins. We see it begin with Adam and Eve hiding from God and with Cain hiding his brother’s body in hopes to keep God out of the loop. All this does though is keep us trapped in the sinfulness, reeling from the effects of our damaging actions. If we want to experience the freedom and grace that Jesus Christ died to give us, then we need to reveal to God in confession all of our sins and transgressions.
Beware friends, this is hard, and it hurts. We don’t even like to admit to ourselves where we struggle with sin. Confession offers God the opportunity to heal, and the illness of sin permeates our hearts and lives. I encourage you to write out every sinful behavior you feel you commit. This is an ugly list, but it’s just between you and God. This act of confession helps us open ourselves to God fully, and invites God into the process of healing what ails us and restoring our hearts and actions back to God. Go back and read the Psalm again, allow it to guide you through this process. Pray for me as I walk through this practice, as I will be praying for you.

1. Have you ever struggled with confession? How have you practiced it well?
2. As you make your list, where do you need the most help from God?

📖 Exciting news! Our Third Grade Bible presentation is just around the corner in the 11:00 Classic service on Aug 18th. Parents, don't forget to reserve your child's special bible by Aug 16th using the link provided!

https://stjameslr.shelbynextchms.com/external/form/4e7abd2d-56ae-4680-95ee-9cc2e3389441

Let's celebrate this milestone together! 🥳

🎒✨ What a joyous Sunday at church! Students of all ages received blessings for the new school year & cute backpack tags. We also celebrated Promotion Sunday with our Children's and Youth classes! We loved seeing our three year old, kindergarteners, and 6th graders in their new classes.

Those bright smiles and eager faces were the highlight of our day. Here's to new beginnings! 🌟💛

ATENTION ALL parents of preschool and early elementary aged kids! Join us for the Pathfinders Fall Kickoff this Sunday at 9:30am in Jones Hall! Excited to have long-time member Bill Waddell as our guest speaker.

The following Sunday, August 25th, Pathfinders will begin a series on Christian Parenting. Get ready for valuable insights and helpful tips to navigate this beautiful journey of raising little ones with love and joy! Let's grow together in faith and parenting wisdom. 🌟👨‍👩‍👧‍👦✨

See you there!✨

Guatemala Mission Trip Update:

Clinic Day #3 / Construction Day #2
A beautiful day in Guatemala was the back drop for beautiful stories and God sightings. Here are some of those beautiful things. (Yes, you may cue Beautiful Things by Gungor)

Clinic Day 4 / Construction Day 3!
Panyebar! It is so good to see you again! 5 years has been too long! But, yes, we recognized several faces and names from our years gone by.
Here are a few images of our day in clinic and construction…

August 2024 Devotionals: Fully Known Day 4

LISTEN HERE: https://soundcloud.com/user-102621138/fk-4?in=user-102621138/sets/fully-known-aug-2024&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

8/12- Ephesians 1:5
“He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will,”

Last week, we spent time growing in how we could know more about God and know God better. This week, we are shifting to the importance of being known by God. Just as important as knowing God is our willingness to be open and vulnerable to God. Well known author Brené Brown believes that vulnerability is the birthplace of connection. By being vulnerable with God, we can experience a more profound sense of connection and a more meaningful spiritual life.
In the same way that you cannot love someone you don’t know, others cannot love you if you do not make yourself available to be known. So often, in an effort to guard our hearts, we wall ourselves off from others, or fail to be truly vulnerable. We can make ourselves be incredibly likeable by hiding our fears or anxieties, struggles and scars. But to be loveable, means that we have opened our full self to someone, and have allowed them to love us as we are and to work with us to move past our pain into health and wholeness. I think this is why you will often hear couples who have been married for several decades say: “I love my spouse now more than I did on the day we got married.” The truth to that statement comes from the fact that the decades of committed relationship have allowed those two to know each other more fully and deeply, which creates more bonds of connection and love.
The same thing happens when we are open and vulnerable with God. I do need to be clear, this is not for God’s benefit. God knows everything about you, every thought you have ever had, every action you have committed. Nothing is hidden from God. This vulnerability has everything to do with us being willing to tear down those walls we have built and to let God in. God will not force His way into our hearts. God will wait for us, long for us, and love us like the children we are. That is why we must begin to practice this faithful vulnerability by being open with God about our sinfulness and struggles, admitting our faults and failures, and the places where we need God’s help to recreate us and make us new. There is no better place to do that than in open and honest prayer with God.
1. How can you seek to be more open with God? What do you need to share with God that you have been holding back?
2. Do you struggle to be vulnerable? Why or why not?