You are right here among us, Lord.
We are known as your people.
Please don’t abandon us now! ~ Jeremiah 14:9b (NLT)
All of you are God’s children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. ~ Galatians 3:26 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
God likes to hang-out among his children because he enjoys their faith.
PRAYER:
Indeed, Lord, I have faith that you are here among us -- even though I'm not so good at recognizing you. Reassure me of your presence -- especially when I am going through a rough patch. I'm going to revel in my status as one of your children. Amen.
God’s there, listening for all who pray,
for all who pray and mean it. ~ Psalm 145:18 (MSG)
If you have faith when you pray, you will be given whatever you ask for. ~ Matthew 21:22 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
Those who live in faith can count on receiving from God whatever they ask for.
PRAYER:
Thank you, God, for listening and responding to our prayers. I confess that I ask for a lot of stuff from you -- stuff that is not rooted in a life of faith. But I'm just wishing that you'd join me in fulfilling my wishes. Mold my faith so that I'm joining you and asking for that which you are already in the process of delivering. I'm expecting great things because you are a great God who is saving the world through your Son Christ Jesus. Amen.
THE 3rd SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Let’s lift our hearts and hands at one and the same time,
praying to God in heaven... ~ Lamentations 3:41 (MSG)
Never give up praying. And when you pray, keep alert and be thankful. ~ Colossians 4:2 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
Keep praying.
PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for staying in touch with us. I do not take full advantage of my access to you. Prompt me to continue praying. I'm going to keep at it -- fully engaged in the process -- and thankful. Amen.
The Lord probes every mind at such a deep level that he totally understands why we think the way we do. ~ 1 Chronicles 28:9 (ABP)
Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” ~ John 1:48 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
God sees and knows us better than we see and know ourselves.
PRAYER:
Kind God, your insights into the way we think and act are beyond our understanding. How do you know so much about me? Forgive me for doubting your ability and for assuming that I have to come up with such wisdom on my own. Enable me to trust you for everything -- big and small. I'm going to relax, knowing that at least you understand everything that is happening. 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 — my own 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)
