Friday March 18
“For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory forever.”
Back when I played basketball in college, my teammates and I had a pre-game ritual. Part of our ritual included listening to an audio clip of a speech given by Al Pacino in the football film, Any Given Sunday. While the language he used is a bit too grotesque to share in a devotional, I can safely say that the message was one of inspiration, faith, and empowerment. He spoke of struggling to move forward despite adversity. He spoke of the importance of all the painstakingly small steps along the way. He even spoke of the promise that there is support and strength in community. There was something about the words, the orchestral score, and sharing the moment with my teammates that helped me channel my pre-game anxiety into constructive energy. It helped me to experience playing as more than a quest to score more points than our opponents; but rather, as an opportunity to take part in a mission in which our collective potential far outweighed the sum of our individual abilities.
The final line of the Lord’s Prayer also helps me corral my worry and fear into a more usable energy, especially when we sing it together. It reminds me that God is present and calling us, even in the midst of our greatest challenges. It can be painstaking work. It is work where the progress is often measured in inches rather than miles. It is work that can certainly be too hard for any one of us alone; but thankfully, we are collectively greater than the sum of our parts when we faithfully answer the call. The empowerment and containment I feel when we affirm this truth together is unmatched. I’m so thankful for our community.
God, we thank You for the comfort and strength of community. Help us to remember that You are with us even in the toughest of times and that our small steps matter. Amen.
–Brandon Jones