Those who lend generously are good people -- as are those who conduct their affairs with justice. ~ Psalm 112:5 (CEB)
Treat people in the same way that you want them to treat you. ~ Luke 6:31 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
Jesus calls us to treat people right.
PRAYER:
Thank you, Lord, for the more than kind way that you have treated me. I need help in passing your approach along to others. For I get caught up in the drama of the moment and forget about extending generosity to others. My goal is to live by the simple rule that is so hard. Amen.
Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God... ~ Deuteronomy 4:2a (NLT)
Jesus answered, “My mother and my brothers are those people who hear and obey God’s message.” ~ Luke 8:21 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
The people in a real relationship with Jesus are those who obey his instructions.
PRAYER:
God of justice and mercy, your law is perfect and complete. My life is flawed and broken. Forgive my inability to live your law of love. Bridge the gap. Help me today to lay down the burden of judging both others and myself. Free me to trust your Good Friday revelation of salvation: It is finished! Amen. (Daily Texts, Mount Carmel Ministries edition)
The 24th Sunday after Pentecost
God, your God, has blessed you in everything you have done. ~ Deuteronomy 2:7a (MSG)
Who does the planting or the watering isn't really all that important. It's God who makes the seed grow into a plant. And his role in the process is central. ~ 1 Corinthians 3:7 (ABP)
KEY IDEA:
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
PRAYER:
I praise you, God. You are generous beyond what we can receive. Thank you. At times I act as though all the blessings in my life come because I've done something to deserve them. This is short-sighted. Save me from such arrogance. Adjust my attitude so that in all things you are fully recognized for your generosity. Amen.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.
On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. ~ Isaiah 9:2 (CEB)
Jesus Christ gave himself to rescue us from everything that is evil and to make our hearts pure. He wanted us to be his own people and to be eager to do right. ~ Titus 2:14 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
Jesus is the rescue light shining the way forward.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, you throw great light onto the situation. You reveal evil for what it is. When you do that you set us up to oppose evil with righteousness. Help me to become even more eager to do right.
I'm going to make good use of the light I've received and bring honor to the Lord through good actions. Amen.
*ABOUT THE
DAILY TEXTS
The Daily Texts have been published by the Moravian Church since 1731. In 2011 I started posting these Bible verses for my spiritual formation students at Pacific Islands University. In the process of responding to the verses, I found the rhythm of looking for a common thread and writing a prayer based on that key idea to be helpful for my own soul. The prayers are more or less modeled on the TRIP method, which is what I ask my students to do in their journaling. ~ Brad Boydston
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase -- a freestyle biblical adaptation -- somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
