Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 16, 2019

DAILY READING

Luke 11:33-36
This weekend’s reading: Revelation 2:8-11

FIELD NOTES
I pray that you will be inspired, challenged and given hope by the stories and words of faithful Christians I share throughout the week.  These Christians were ordinary humans just like you and me, loved and cherished by Christ and confronted by everyday real challenges to living faithful lives.
 
How can we be a healthy light for Christ?  Hear this story of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr:
 
On January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia.  In celebration of his contribution to the Civil Rights Movement, the United States Congress made the third Monday in January a national holiday in 1983.  He lived his life in constant pursuit of Christ’s calling, prophetically preaching for equality of all races and fair wages and treatment for the poor while constantly facing death threats and danger.  Martin Luther King, Jr. preached, “I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, that rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.” He called for the Church to be the conscience of the world.

QUESTIONS FROM THE FIELD

• How does Martin Luther King, Jr’s story challenge you?
• How does Martin Luther King, Jr’s story inspire you?

PRAYER

Lord, as we wake from another night’s slumber, we are reminded that your dreams are given to us and not merely conjured up by our imaginations.  Help us understand both that your dreams come at a price and that their rewards are immeasurable.
 
(In part from “Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals”)