Sunday, March 16, 2025

GOD'S FAVOR

The Second Sunday in Lent

PSALM 30:6-7 (MSG)
When things were going great
I crowed, “I’ve got it made.
I’m GOD's favorite.
He made me king of the mountain.”
Then you looked the other way
and I fell to pieces.

JOHN 16:22 (NTFE)
You have sorrow now. But I shall see you again, and your hearts will celebrate, and nobody will take your joy away from you.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Our joy revolves around the Lord's favor.

DAILY FODDER
Is the issue our inability to experience God's favor because what we're doing keeps us from seeing God or is it that God is annoyed with what we're doing and withholds his favor?

PRAYER
Hidden God, when I'm full of myself, I can't see you. What seems like success flutters, and then it's gone. But you, Lord, enter my disappointment and pain, promising to exchange them for joy. You offer me courage and new beginnings. Your light shines on my grateful, forgiven face. Today, let me share every blessed thing you give me. Amen. (Daily TextsGround Up Grace edition)

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 will protect us from all forms of evil. 
Amen.

DAILYTEXTS.ORG

*ABOUT THE
DAILY TEXTS

The Daily Texts have been published by the Moravian Church since 1731. In 2015 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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