God, if we lived in a perfect world, we would know your will and live accordingly.
When Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well, he participated in an astounding confrontation of the boundary rules of his day. And yet, Jesus talked with her, learned from her and blessed her. She, a Samaritan woman, became an evangelist (John 4:7-42).
God, how is your word changing, sometimes in conflict with what has been handed down to us in Scripture? Who is waiting to be included in your promise? Teach us to welcome those who call us to see in a new way. Teach us to trust your radical welcome to all.
This message was adapted from “Perfect Welcome” written by Catherine Malotky that first appeared in the October 2008 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine. If you are reading “Daily Grace” online, sign up to receive it by email daily.