Wayward

By Cindy Korf of Yuma, Colorado, USA

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.

Psalm 130:1–5

On my morning walk, I was pouring out my fears and problems in prayer. I confessed how I felt like a wayward child who had made a muddle of recent events. I thanked God for listening to my ramblings and understanding my heart. Ending my prayer, I asked to know what solution could be made from my mistakes.

It was then that I saw two trees ahead of me, causing me to smile and burst out in laughter. The barren trees looked as though they were dancing, with limbs going in different directions, saying, “See, even when a limb (or child) goes wayward, we still grow and go on.”

Like those trees that have branches that go wayward yet still live and grow, and so do we, even with our own mishaps. Through faith, we can have confidence that we can become what God has in mind for us.

Prayer Phrase

“Bear one another’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2).

Spiritual Hunger

Jesus discerned hungers of body and spirit, and he fed them through a physical, verbal, spiritual ministry of presence. In a time of listening prayer, ask God to help you discern physical or spiritual hungers of people in your congregation, community, and global family. Invite the Spirit to move you to one hospitable act that “feeds” someone’s hunger today.