Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.
The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things! ~ Psalm 118:15,16 (NLT)
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! ~ Philippians 4:4 (NLT)
KEY IDEA:
The work of the Lord is the source of endless joy.
PRAYER:
Great and wonderful God, through Christ you have given us victory over all that is dark and draining. Yet I spend too much time despairing over the evil. Help me to move beyond so that I can be free from the ongoing despair over things. I'm going to shift my focus so that I see all the great things you are doing -- so that I am living a glad and joyful life. Amen.
The Third Sunday after Epiphany
Lord, sustain me as you promised, that I may live!
Do not let my hope be crushed. ~ Psalm 119:116 (NLT)
I know your works. Look! I have set in front of you an open door that no one can shut. You have so little power, and yet you have kept my word and haven’t denied my name. ~ Revelation 3:8 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
Even when things seem bleak God keeps his promises and makes a way for us.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you for being so thoroughly reliable. You keep your word and make a way for us through the difficult times. Help me to trust you more; for my faith is thoroughly inconsistent. That's why I have to rely on you. You are my hope! Amen!
“The time is coming”—it’s God’s Decree—“when God’s city will be rebuilt..." ~ Jeremiah 31:38 (MSG)
The glorious treasures of nations will be brought into the city. ~ Revelation 21:26 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
The time is coming when the people and nations of the world will gather to honor the Lord God.
PRAYER:
God of all nations, I am thankful you will build the city into which all will come. How easy it is to forget how essential all people are to my life. Forgive me for seeking the wellbeing of just my own family. Lead me to care for the whole world, for we are called to be one in Christ. Amen. (Daily Texts, Mount Carmel Ministries edition)
Lord, you have done so many things!
You made them all so wisely!
The earth is full of your creations! ~ Psalm 104:24 (CEB)
And why do you worry about clothes? Notice how the lilies in the field grow. They don’t wear themselves out with work, and they don’t spin cloth. But I say to you that even Solomon in all of his splendor wasn’t dressed like one of these. ~ Matthew 6:28-29 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
The wonder in creation points us back to the wisdom and faithfulness of God the creator.
PRAYER:
God, you are such a wonderful and thorough creator. Nothing and no one escapes your attention. I, however, am blind to the wonder. Help me to notice what gets lost to my attention. Show me again the wonders of creation so that I can more fully appreciate the wonder of you, the creator. I'm going to set aside my worries and lose myself in the splendor of your creation. Amen.
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)
