United Church of Christ Daily Devotional 20th August 2025 Wednesday Message
Practice
By Ann Kansfield
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. – Hebrews 12: 1-2 (NIV)
Worship is the way we practice for living.
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My daughter plays in a travel volleyball league. Several times a week, they gather for practice. Their coach guides them through drill after drill: bumping, spiking, serving. They work through various plays and review strategy.
In short, they practice so that these things become their default autopilot. When game time comes, they don’t have to think about technique. They can play the game from the heart.
As followers of Jesus, worship is where we gather to practice and drill the spiritual fundamentals we need “for the living of these days.” The words of the songs we sing, the stories of the scriptures, and the prayers of one another fuel us for the week ahead.
Recently a friend of mine was out living her life when the events before her necessitated that she take what – in retrospect – appeared to be a very courageous action. But in the moment, she was operating on instinct, on muscle memory, taking the next right action.
How did she know what to do? She said she did what she learned in church.
Prayer
God, prepare us for the living of these days. Help us continue to practice your values so that we may love you and our neighbor. Amen.
About the AuthorAnn is co-pastor of the Greenpoint Reformed Church in Brooklyn (UCC/RCA) and Chaplain for the Fire Department of the City of New York.
