There is no other god like you, O Lord; you forgive the sins of your people who have survived. You do not stay angry forever, but you take pleasure in showing us your constant love. ~ Micah 7:18 (GNT)
God canceled the unfavorable record of our debts with its binding rules and did away with it completely by nailing it to the cross. ~ Colossians 2:14 (GNT)
KEY IDEA:
God does not hold our sins against us.
PRAYER:
Loving God, you sent your Son Christ Jesus to wipe away the record of all our sin.
You really must love us. Sometimes, though, I have a hard time accepting your acceptance. I want to beat myself up over the wrong and stupid things I do. Help me to focus on your love and forgiveness so that I can begin to live as a fully loved and truly forgiven person. Amen.
The 14th Sunday after Pentecost
My people will live in safety, quietly at home. ~ Isaiah 32:18a (NLT)
Now may the Lord of peace give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. ~ 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NCV)
KEY IDEA:
The Lord gives peace to his people.
PRAYER:
Prince of Peace, thank you for sharing your peace with us so that we can get along with each other and the rest of the world. I admit, though, that I don't always tap into your peace. Sometimes I slip back into the old ways because I enjoy getting a reaction from the people who annoy me. Help me to take your peace more seriously.
Help me to share it more completely. I want to see the whole world experiencing the peace that comes from Jesus. Amen.
Lord, look down from heaven; look from your holy, glorious home, and see us. Where is the passion and the might you used to show on our behalf? ~ Isaiah 63:15a (NLT)
I came to set fire to the earth, and I wish it were already on fire! I am going to be put to a hard test. And I will have to suffer a lot of pain until it is over. ~ Luke 12:49-50 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
Jesus' passion is going to set the world on fire.
PRAYER:
Jesus, the fire of your love burns throughout creation. My life, it seems, is little more than a dim bulb. You are zealous and mighty; I am zoned out and muddled. Kindle anew your Spirit within me. Break through my distraction and free me to focus on you. In all that I do, inflame me for you. Amen. (Daily Texts, Mt Carmel Ministries edition)
The man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God in the middle of the garden’s trees. ~ Genesis 3:8 (CEB)
You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. ~ Matthew 5:8 (MSG)
KEY IDEA:
It's a joy to see God coming when we are free from the shame of sin.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you for meeting with people. Thank you for seeking us out even when we'd just as soon hide. But there is nothing hidden from you. Even the most shameful things about us are glaringly obvious to you. Yet, you pursue our company anyway. Help me to accept your acceptance and to the make that the impetus for healthy change. 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)
