Plow up the hard ground of your hearts!
Do not waste your good seed among thorns. ~ Jeremiah 4:3b (NLT)
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. ~ Romans 12:2 (NLT)
KEY IDEA:
Let God change your hearts so that you relate to the world differently.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you for planting your seed in my life. I need help so that it does not go to waste.
I'm still too attached to the way the world does things. Change me into a new person -- really new. I want my life to please you. Amen.
The 6th Sunday of Easter
The Lord appeared to Solomon at Gibeon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask whatever you wish, and I’ll give it to you.” And Solomon said … Please give your servant a discerning mind in order to govern your people and to distinguish good from evil, because no one is able to govern this important people of yours without your help.” ~ 1 Kings 3:5,9 (CEB)
But anyone who needs wisdom should ask God, whose very nature is to give to everyone without a second thought, without keeping score. Wisdom will certainly be given to those who ask. ~ James 1:5 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
God will give you the wisdom you need -- if you ask for it.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you for your generosity. I confess that I think I am wiser than I am. So, I am slow to ask for your wisdom. That gets me into all kinds of trouble. I say things I shouldn't say and get involved in matters I should be avoiding. If it is not too late, I'm going to take you up on your offer and ask for your wisdom. I'm going to count on you rather than me. Amen.
“Is there a limit to my power?” ~ Numbers 11:23 (GNT)
God is able to do whatever he promises. ~ Romans 4:21 (NLT)
KEY IDEA:
God is able to do whatever he says he will do.
PRAYER:
Powerful Lord, thank you for using your power to defeat death and sin. I benefit from the resurrection in ways that I do not yet know. Yet, I do not fully trust you. I'm still eager to make things happen on my own. Please give me the confidence to relax and trust in your power and your wisdom to use it in just the right way. Prompt me so that I can participate in what you are doing without getting in the way. I'm going to think and act differently because I know that you are able and willing to do all that you have promised. No doubt. Amen.
(The Lord) gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners. ~ Psalm 146:7a (NLT)
“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered.
“Bring them here,” he said. ~ Matthew 14:17-18 (NLT)
*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)
