Wednesday, January 10, 2024

PURSUE PEACE

PSALM 34:14 (CEB)
Turn away from evil! Do good!
Seek peace and go after it!

ROMANS 14:19 (CEB)
So let’s strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Make the pursuit of peace and the well being of others a priority.
 
DAILY FODDER
Shalom is the Hebrew concept often translated into English as "peace." It is that, but so much more. It has to do with wholeness and well being. To us peace seems to be a grand unachievable ideal but if we think of it as lots of small things we do to contribute to the well being of others it is more in reach. Indeed, those small things, done in the name of Jesus, are the foundation of a grander achievable peace.

PRAYER
Prince of Peace, you came into the world to initiate a new kind of peace. Forgive me for giving up on the pursuit of peace because it is so hard and slow going. Strengthen my connection to you so that your shalom flows through me to everyone around me. I'm turning away from all thoughts and activities that are contrary to your peace, in order pursue goodwill and wellness for all—even our enemies. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.
Give us enough food for today.
Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.
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DAILYTEXTS.ORG

*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)

EEB = EasyEnglish Bible (©2015, MissionAssist)

ERV = Easy-To-Read Version (©2006, World Bible Translation Center)

GNT = Good News Translation (©1992, American Bible Society)

MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)

NCB = New Catholic Bible (©2019 by Catholic Book Publishing Corp.)

NCV = New Century Version (©2005, Thomas Nelson Inc)

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)

NRSV = New Revised Standard Version (© 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.)

NTE = New Testament for Everyone (©2011 Nicolas Thomas Wright.)

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