But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:4, 5

Sunday morning.  First we are reminded of who we are in Christ.  We were dead in sins, now saved by the Blood of Jesus and living for Him.  We could have never come up with this marvelous grace, it is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit of God.  But is the most real thing we can experience!

What kind of God is this who saves us in this precious way?  It is the God who is rich in mercy!  He made us alive with Christ!  Can there be a more wonderful and life-changing revelation?  Hardly.  We are startled by the revelation – I am saved because Jesus died and rose for me, it is by that grace I have been saved, the same as all who come to God in the way of Christ.

Praise him now and always.

Sunday morning is when Anna Ruth and I, after our toast and coffee, join hearts in prayer.  We have developed a routine of using Sunday morning to pray for our extended family.  It is a bit shorter this morning as we celebrate the passing of John Bucher, the last remaining of the four Buchers.   Raymond’s wife was in that family.  Of course, John and Mildred had a family, all active and precious.  We praise God for this heritage.

We pray for all our close relatives, especially those in our own immediate family.  That is one of the joys and challenges that we have.  We know how to pray for our saved descendants, we are stretched a bit to cover all, however.  Each is precious, and each is eternal.  Lord, we pray for them all!