Opening Prayer
Ah, blessed Lord, I wish I knew how I might best love you and please you, and that my love were as sweet to you as your love is to me. Amen.
—Margery Kempe, 1373-1432
Prayer of Illumination
Father of all mankind, make the roofs of our houses wide enough for all opinions, oil the door of our houses so it easily opens to friends and strangers, and set such a table in our houses that our whole families may speak kindly and freely around it. Amen.
—Author Unknown (Hawaii)
TEXT
1 John 5:1-8 TNIV
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.