Good morning! Welcome to August. Grab a Bible (or your phone) and work through the practice below. Do all or part. Whatever you can get through is grace. May the Lord bless you and make you aware of his nearness.

— Praise: (1)
Almighty God, we begin this journey toward humility with prayer.
You are the sovereign God who holds our future.
You are the suffering God who knows our pain.
You are the creator God who made us in your image. You tell us who we are.
You are the covenant God who claims us. You make us your children. You make us family.
You are the God of grace who forgives our sins and restores our souls.
You are the God of truth who gives light to our path, who shows us the way.
We come to you through Jesus Christ asking that you would
Teach us and remind us who we are and who you are God.

— Scripture:
Lord, help us hear your word:
Genesis 1:26-31

— Answer these three questions:
What does this passage say about God?
What does this passage say about people?
As a result of this reading, what is one step God is inviting you to take?
Who is one person you will tell about that step today?

— Response: (2)
You despise nothing you have made,
You forgive the sins of all who are sorrowful who long to repent.
Create in us new and humble hearts,
that, truly repenting of our sins and acknowledging our brokenness,
we may obtain from you, God of all mercy, full pardon and forgiveness,
through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.

And now, Lord, by the same Spirit, empower us to take the single step you have called us to.

— Devotional: (3)
“It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which,if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare. All day long we are, in some degree helping each other to one or the other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all of our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”

(1) Original
(2) The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources
(3) ― C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory