About midnight

Paul and Silas were praying

   and singing hymns to God,

and the prisoners

         were listening to them...

                     Acts 16. 25

(Others are continually watching us,

not to see if our lives are perfect,

but how we respond

        when things are not,

what we do,

how we treat others,

and if we really believe in God

          of Whom we speak

                and worship.

Do they see any difference in us?

Do they see Jesus there

     or just our bad attitude?)

O LORD,

We are surrounded

by a cloud of witnesses,

those who believe in You

and those who

     desperately want to.

Radiate from within us

that others may see You.

Help us to

   not react to circumstances,

but to respond to You.

Help us to love others

    in unexpected ways,

unexplainable if not for You.