1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your Daily Prayer, 2 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: a podcast dedicated to helping you find the words you 3 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: need to connect with your Father in Heaven. No matter 4 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: what is going on in your life today, you can 5 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: trust that God wants to hear from you. Right after 6 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: this short word from our sponsor, people pray through today's 7 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,519 Speaker 1: prayer to open our hearts and homes to others. Together. 8 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: A Prayer to open our hearts and holmes to Others, 9 00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: written by Sophia Bricker, read by Carrie Eiberger. Walk in 10 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: Wisdom toward outsiders making the best use of the time 11 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: Clausians four, verse five. Augustine despaired of ever finding the truth. 12 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: The man the key cult that had once seemed so 13 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: intriguing now only brought disillusionment as he considered the mental 14 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 1: gymnastics required to believe in teachings that defied rational logic. 15 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: Where could he turn to find the truth. Already he 16 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: had dismissed the Church and the Bible, but something changed 17 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: once he met a bishop in Milan. After getting to 18 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: know Bishop Ambrose, Augustine began to feel drawn to the 19 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: Christian faith. Ambrose slipped graciously toward others, even to an 20 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: outsider of the church, like Augustine. As he wrote in 21 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: his confessions, Ambrose received me like a father and expressed 22 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 1: pleasure at my coming with a kindness most fitting in 23 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: a bishop. If God did not talk down to Augustine 24 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 1: or hatefully turn him away, Instead, the bishop shared his 25 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: life with the doubting young man, and the result was powerful. 26 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: Augustine had not yet arrived at the place of faith, 27 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: but God used the hospitality of Ambrose in the process 28 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: of drawing Augustine to himself. By acting in love and 29 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 1: hospitality toward others, Saint ambrose life served as a testimony 30 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: to Christ. We often think of testimonies in terms of words, 31 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: what we say and how we say it. Giving an 32 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: account is certainly a significant part of our witness. For 33 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: the disciples spoke about what they had seen and heard 34 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: of Jesus, including the significance of his death and resurrection. 35 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: Yet their witness went beyond mere words. Believers also testify 36 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: by the way they live, loving and inviting others into 37 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: their hearts and homes. Combined with speech, the witness of 38 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: a life by its powerful proof to others of the 39 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: truth of Jesus identity and the salvation he offers. The 40 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: people we encounter each day observe the way we conduct 41 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 1: our lives, even more so if we claim to be 42 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: christ followers. This is why the Apostle Paul encouraged the 43 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: Christians and Colossae to wisely use the opportunities they had 44 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: when interacting with outsiders or non Christians. They were to 45 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: live wisely toward others and speak to them with grace 46 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: seasoned with salt. Other verses in scripture likewise urge us 47 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: to live honorably among non Christians to bring glory to 48 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 1: the Father. Our time is short and tomorrow is not promised. 49 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: We were meant to redeem the time by making the 50 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: most of every opportunity that the Lord provides. Instead of 51 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: taking the easy path and ignoring those around us or 52 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: dismissing those we disagree with, we should consider the great 53 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: hospitality our Lord and extend that same welcome to others, 54 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: as it is he showed his love to us while 55 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: we were still sinners caught in the destructive patterns of 56 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: the world. Like Saint Ambrose, we can choose the costly 57 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: yet joyful path of showing christ Like love and care 58 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: for others by sharing our lives with those around us, 59 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: to take time to listen to the concerns of a 60 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: doubting youth, to involve others in the daily workings of 61 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: our lives, to share a meal with someone different than us, 62 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:38,440 Speaker 1: to greet people with warmth and grace. We may be 63 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 1: surprised how the Lord uses small acts of hospitality, perhaps 64 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: even using us as part of his plan to bring 65 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 1: another lost sheep safely home into his embrace. Let's pray, Lord, 66 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: of each moment, help me make the most of the 67 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: time that you have given me, wisely stewarding the relationships 68 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: you place in my life. I know that my time 69 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: here is short and the days are evil, So may 70 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: I seek to honor you in the way I live. 71 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: Teach me to welcome the outcast and forgotten, love those 72 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: who are hard to love, and offer a listening ear 73 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: to people with whom I may disagree. Guide me to 74 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 1: ways I can show hospitality to others, even in simple 75 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: or small ways. And when the work is costly, remind 76 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: me again of the cross where you hung and bore 77 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: the sins of the world. You welcomed me as your 78 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 1: own and loved me despite my wrongdoings. May I extend 79 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 1: that same grace and kindness to others. In your name, Jesus, 80 00:05:47,720 --> 00:06:02,440 Speaker 1: I Pray Amen. Your Daily Prayer is a production of 81 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: Life Audio and Sale Media. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, 82 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com. While you're there, sign 83 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: up for our daily email. When you do, you'll receive 84 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: a fifteen day prayer guide to strengthen your faith.