Every mountain and hill may disappear. But I will always be kind and merciful to you; I won’t break my agreement to give your nation peace. ~ Isaiah 54:10 (CEV)
God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. ~ John 3:16 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
You can count on the gift of God's love and mercy.
PRAYER:
You are a gift-giving God. When I read about all the "gods" people look to, it seems that they are all out to get from the people. But you are out to give -- even to the point of "giving" your only Son to establish eternal lives of peace. Forgive me for taking your giving and your gifts for granted. Help me to find new and appropriate ways to share your gifts with others. I want to see others come to faith in you, the giving God. Amen.
God created humanity in God’s own image, in the divine image God created them, male and female God created them. ~ Genesis 1:27 (CEB)
However, woman isn’t independent from man, and man isn’t independent from woman in the Lord. As woman came from man so also man comes from woman. But everything comes from God. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
Because together we share in the image of God, women and men should live in mutual respect of each other.
PRAYER:
In your wisdom, God, you created man and woman interdependent on each other and dependent on you.
I confess that sometimes I make too easy judgments based on simple appearance and action. Please forgive me. Help me to see people through the eyes of Christ. Only then will I love others as you love me. Amen. (Daily Texts, Mount Carmel Ministries edition)
Return to the one whom you have deeply betrayed! ~ Isaiah 51:6 (CEB)
Look! I’m standing at the door and knocking. ~ Revelation 3:20 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
Even though we have treated God wrong he is still eager to have a relationship with us.
PRAYER:
Lord, you are amazing. Even though we have betrayed you and sinned against you... Even though we have treated you wrong in all our thoughts, words, and deeds... You still want to be with us. Help me to turn more fully to you because up to this piont my responses to you have been half-hearted. I am eager to start enjoying your invitation for fellowship. Amen.
The LORD speaking to Issac: "All of the nations of the earth will be blessed because of your descendants." ~ Genesis 26:4 (CEB)
Many people will come from everywhere to enjoy the feast in the kingdom of heaven with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ~ Matthew 8:11 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
The Lord is using his people to bless the world.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you for noticing us and using your people to include us in your global party. Thank you especially for Issac's main descendent who is making it all happen. Help me to find my joy in your blessing and to help others find their place at the table. I'm going to share the blessing of Jesus with the whole world. 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)
