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Courage and boldness

4.12.2017
|
Daily Grace

Holy means to be set apart. We might also assume it means being “set above” or “far away.” But the Bible invites us to recognize the holy movement from God toward us. What is holy is deeply incarnational: God “in flesh.”

Holy does not mean inaccessible. What is incarnational is also boldly invitational. Jesus calls ordinary people to follow him as disciples. He welcomes outsiders, forgives sinners and touches those considered unclean, unworthy or impure by the commonly held religious standards of his culture. Where we like to draw lines to divide and categorize, Jesus crosses boundaries. God in Christ bridges gaps between “holy” and “daily life.”

To notice the holy in the everyday is to recognize Christ in the eyes of our neighbor. Then our interactions with others become sacred acts of hospitality and service. Put on your shoes, step out in trust, courage and boldness.

This message is an excerpt of “The holy ordinary” by Julie A. Kanarr in the April 2017 issue of Gather magazine. Today is Wednesday in Holy Week. The readings are Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 70; Hebrews 12:1-3; John 13:21-32.

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