The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States "AN INTERFAITH EXPERIENCE" for Sunday, 15 March 2016 with Scripture Psalm 100:(0)-5

The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States "AN INTERFAITH EXPERIENCE" for Sunday, 15 March 2016 with Scripture Psalm 100:(0) A psalm of thanksgiving:
(1) Shout for joy to Adonai, all the earth!
2 Serve Adonai with gladness.
Enter his presence with joyful songs.
3 Be aware that Adonai is God;
it is he who made us; and we are his,
his people, the flock in his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
enter his courtyards with praise;
give thanks to him, and bless his name.
5 For Adonai is good, his grace continues forever,
and his faithfulness lasts through all generations.
-------
How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity![Psalm 133:1 (NRSV)]
The rabbi of a nearby Jewish synagogue invited our choir to sing with theirs for an upcoming community interfaith Thanksgiving service. After the service was over, I asked the choir director if I might join her choir even though I am not of the Jewish faith. The director spoke to the rabbi, who said he would be happy for me to become a choir member. I was thrilled to be able to sing with them but even more excited to learn about the Hebrew language and their faith.
On Christmas Eve, a man from the synagogue visited my church. The next time we saw each other, I was singing in the Shabbat evening service. He approached me, asking if he might join my church’s choir. He did join us, receiving a warm welcome from the choir members and the director.
Experiences like my three years of singing with my Jewish friend can give us new eyes to see each other as persons of value. Learning about each other’s traditions and faith can change and enrich our lives. God’s love and grace enable us to reach across divides and learn about other faiths, while also strengthening ours.
The Author: Sally McGinley (Pennsylvania, USA)
Thought for the Day: Learning about different faiths can enrich my own.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for valuable and enriching experiences that teach us to love our brothers and sisters of different faiths. Amen.
Prayer focus: LEARNING TO LOVE AND ACCEPT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT FAITHS---------------------