God blesses
When the Lord returned the people to Jerusalem after being exiled, everything changed. Their fortunes were restored. It was like they were living in a dream. ~ Psalm 126:1 (ABP)
Very early on the first day of the week, after Jesus had risen to life, he appeared to Mary Magdalene. Earlier he had forced seven demons out of her. She left and told his friends, who were crying and mourning. ~ Mark 16:9-10 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
Sometimes the good news from God appears to be too good to be true. But it is true.
PRAYER:
Lord, you are full of surprises. You do not abandon your people -- even when we abandon you. You make a way to make things right. Help me to trust you to do that when I start to doubt that things will ever be good again. You are the kind of being who wants to bless people. I'm going to live the dream. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own 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)
