Saint Nicolas Day
Give us help against the enemy;
human help is worthless. ~ Psalm 60:11 (CEB)
Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.” ~ John 6:68- 69 (MSG)
KEY IDEA:
Turn to God because only he is capable.
PRAYER:
Lord, you are the only one to whom I can turn. That is, the only one worth turning to. I confess that I look to many others for help. Sometimes I even rely on myself. But, of course, I don't always do the smart thing. Broaden my vision so that I can see the value of turning to you in each minute and through each situation. I'm going to rely on you alone as Savior. Amen.
The Lord guards you.
The Lord is the shade that protects you from the sun.
The sun cannot hurt you during the day,
and the moon cannot hurt you at night. ~ Psalm 121:5-6 (NCV)
He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:8 (NLT)
KEY IDEA:
The Lord continues to watch over you.
PRAYER:
Thank you, God, for lovingly guarding me. I certainly need that kind of attention. I am way too prone to believe that I can look out for myself. Awaken me to your on-guard presence so that I can declare how great you are. Amen.
Change your ways, and live! ~ Ezekiel 18:32b (CEB)
Put on justice and genuine holiness, as though they were a fresh new set of clothes. This attire is the appropriate uniform issued to you when through Christ you became a new person created according to the specs of Gods' image. ~ Ephesians 4:24 (ABP)
KEY IDEA:
Living the new life means living in a new and different way.
PRAYER:
Thank you, God, for including me in your new creation. I am delighted to be a "new person." I confess, though, that I am still attached to some of my old clothes. Even though they don't fit well anymore I still try to wear them. Help me to become comfortable in my new better fitting clothes. I'm eager to look like the person that Christ has created me to be. Amen.
God puts the poor back on their feet. ~ 1 Samuel 2:8a (ABP)
When the Shepherd finds his lost sheep, you can be sure that he'll carry it across his shoulders as he goes on his way singing a happy song. ~ Luke 15:5 (ABP)
KEY IDEA:
God gives the lost second chances.
PRAYER:
Lord God, giver of second chances, I'm so grateful for the way that you love lost and broken people such as me. I am not nearly so gracious. Restore the grace in me so that I become more concerned about the needs of others than my own safety and reputation. I'm going to help others celebrate your love and kindness, too. 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)
