The Lord's staying power

The Third Sunday in Lent

The Lord your God will have mercy—he won’t destroy you or desert you. ~ Deuteronomy 4:31a (CEV)

Paul writes: I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 1:6 (CEB)

KEY IDEA:

The Lord will stay with you and get you to where you need to be.

PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for sticking around. Thank you for being close -- day in and day out -- through the good times and the bad times. I know that I don't make things easy for you. But you don't seem to have trouble keeping up with my drifting. Still, I need your help getting over my wanderings. I'm going to stay close to you -- not because I have to -- but because I want to. You are so faithful. You are the one I want to be close to. Amen.

Immigrants

I’m an immigrant in the land. ~ Psalm 119:19a (CEB)

Our citizenship is in heaven. We look forward to a savior that comes from there—the Lord Jesus Christ. ~ Philippians 3:20 (CEB)

KEY IDEA:

We live like outsiders in the world system because we are citizens of the heavenly system -- the system built around the administration of our Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for providing a true home island for me -- heaven. I have to live as an immigrant in the world. And that is frustrating because they currently do things differently in the world than Jesus does. Save me from discouragement. Help me to remember that I am not a citizen of the world empire and that I need to look to heaven for instructions on how to live. Sometimes I get caught up in the world's ways but I am trusting you to keep me free from all that. Amen.

Walk with Jesus

St Patrick's Day

Teach me your way, Lord, so that I can walk in your truth. ~ Psalm 86:11a (CEB)

Jesus walked on until he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father, mending their nets. Jesus asked them to come with him too. Right away they left the boat and their father and went with Jesus. ~ Matthew 4:21-22 (CEV)

KEY IDEA:

Jesus is calling you to leave behind whatever you're doing and to go walking with him.

PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for inviting me to walk with you. However, it is harder than I thought it would be to leave behind the old ways. Forgive me for my lapses. And help me because it is my desire to walk with you -- to learn from you and to go where you are going. I'm going to follow my leader, Jesus. Amen.

So many unanswered questions

Why do I keep on suffering? Why are my wounds incurable? Why won't they heal? Do you intend to disappoint me like a stream that goes dry in the summer? ~ Jeremiah 15:18 (GNT)

Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:12a (CEV)

KEY IDEA:

We need to be patient and let God answer the questions in his own time.

PRAYER:

I'm so thankful, Lord, for all that you have revealed of yourself. Of course, as a curious and sometimes frustrated person, I'd sure like you to show us more of what you are up to. Why do I still suffer? Forgive me for getting swallowed up in my questions. Help me to trust you and to wait patiently for the time when we can have a good face-to-face conversation. I'm confident that your answers will be enough, but still I suffer. Amen.