Let these ways be mine...

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.* Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;* do not claim to be wiser than you are. Romans 12. 9 - 16

In a meditation this morning, I heard these words "again for the first time," and when asked what I wanted to say to God in response to them, I said, "Let these ways be mine, Lord, let them be mine."

In these verses from his letter to the Romans, Paul exhorts us to live in peace and harmony in all that we say and do, and his examples are so specific and yet so simple. It is a list of ways to respond and behave the likes of which I want to have in front of me at all times.

To accompany this meditation, the Taizé piece Wait for the Lord was playing, and so I have attached it here. Perhaps in our waiting, our pausing, our silence we will glean the strength and peace of mind to let these ways be ours.

Keep Watch, Draw Near.