...the Lord protected me.
He helped me out of danger... ~ 2 Samuel 22:19b-20a (GNT)
...where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. ~ 2 Corinthians 3:17b (GNT)
KEY IDEA:
The Lord sets us free from danger.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you so much for looking out for me. Even though I participate in high-risk and unwise behaviors you are still looking out for me. But I should not be presumptuous. I need to stop doing unhealthy and sinful things. I think that I am my own worst enemy. I need your help to protect me from myself. I'm going to celebrate your protection and freedom by walking closer to you. Amen.
God said: Solomon, I’m pleased that you asked for this. You could have asked to live a long time or to be rich. Or you could have asked for your enemies to be destroyed. Instead, you asked for wisdom to make right decisions. So I’ll make you wiser than anyone who has ever lived or ever will live. ~ 1 Kings 3:11-12 (CEV)
Jesus said: Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. ~ Matthew 7:24 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
God wants us to have wisdom.
PRAYER:
God, you are so solid -- so insightful. However, I don't place nearly so much emphasis on acquiring wisdom. That tells me that I'm not in harmony with you and your ways. So I want to be like Solomon and ask for wisdom above all else. I'm anticipating that my life will be well founded because of your generosity. Amen.
God is like a shield
for all who seek his protection. ~ Psalm 18:30b (GNT)
The Lord is faithful and will give you strength and protect you from the evil one. ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:3 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
The Lord is our protector.
PRAYER:
Lord, I am amazed at the level of protection you provide to your people. I'm also amazed at how often I fail to take advantage of your protection. I'm careless and over-confident of my own abilities. Keep me alert to the fact that I need to live my whole life behind your protective shield. I'm going to relax knowing that I'm in a safe place behind my protective Savior. Amen.
Why am I discouraged?
Why am I restless?
I trust you!
And I will praise you again
because you help me,
and you are my God. ~ Psalm 42:11 (CEV)
You will be sad, but your sadness will turn into gladness. ~ John 16:20b (GNT)
KEY IDEA:
As we trust the Lord our sadness gives way to gladness.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you for helping me. I spend way too much time being discouraged because I think over and over again about the discouraging things. I need some more help. Rescue my mind from this restless and discouraging loop.
Help me to see that you are going to work things out in a way that is better than I can imagine. I'm going to trust you!
Amen!
*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)
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)
