Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. ~ Psalm 10:17 (NLT)
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. ~ Romans 15:13 (NLT)
KEY IDEA:
God is the only source of the kind of hope we truly need.
PRAYER:
Gracious God, better than anyone you know the desires of the helpless and vulnerable; for you became one of us. I confess to believing the silly idea that my problems are totally unique and greater than you could understand. Shame on me! Fill me with fresh insight into the work of Jesus and the great suffering he endured to grant us hope. I am going to trust him so that hope oozes from every poure of my being. Amen.
The Fourth Sunday in Lent
Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! ~ Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NLT)
Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. ~ Luke 12:33-34 (NLT)
KEY IDEA:
Invest your life exclusively in things which have lasting meaning and true fulfillment.
PRAYER:
Generous God, you have already entrusted me with more than I deserve. Thank you for your kindness. Forgive me for turning your gifts into the objects of my affections. Help me to realize exactly what it is that you want me to pursue. I am going to bank on Jesus and his alternative Kingdom. Amen.
You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong... ~ Exodus 23:2a (NLT)
Keep loving each other like family. ~ Hebrews 13:1 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
Even if it is not a popular thing to do, stay committed to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.
PRAYER:
God, I confess it is easy to let a crowd influence my judgment, whether it be booing at a sporting event or blindly following a political or religious leader. Empower me to make love the litmus test of my actions. Help me to avoid blindly following the crowd. Instead, guide me to act with love for my brothers and sisters. Amen. (Daily Texts, Mount Carmel Ministries edition)
Like a shepherd
taking care of his sheep,
this ruler will lead
and care for his people
by the power and glorious name
of the Lord his God. ~ Micah 5:4 (CEV)
Then the sign of the Human One will appear in the sky. At that time all the tribes of the earth will be full of sadness, and they will see the Human One coming in the heavenly clouds with power and great splendor. ~ Matthew 24:30 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
God's power and splendor will eventually become evident to all.
PRAYER:
Great God, thank you for being our shepherd. Forgive me for living like I can take care of myself. But I am seeing that life is way too complex for that. I need to be led by someone who is all powerful and all glorious. I'm going to devote myself to honoring you so that I don't end up sad and disappointed. 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)
