That Sort of Different

 

And the people said to me,

"Will you not tell us what

these things mean for us,

that you are acting thus?"

Then I said to them,

"The word of the LORD

       came to me."

       Ezekiel 24. 19-20

Live that differently.

Make unexpected choices.

Respond in fresh ways.

Not just to be weird,

not for attention drawn to us,

   but to Whom we belong

             and have our being.

As theologian NT Wright said

recently in Time magazine,

"...for people to say,

'How come you seem to be

    sort of different?'

And the answer is,

'Well, we follow this man 

           called Jesus."

And that ought to show.

 

O LORD,

Help us to live before You

in ways that others

       can see You

and the difference You make

      in what we say,

how we pray,

what we do,

and how we love others.

Empower us to

   be that sort of different.

Soften our hearts

    and change our actions,

attitudes and responses

for Your glory

  even in this mess today.