They will come and
unite with the Lord,
in an everlasting covenant
that will never be forgotten. ~ Jeremiah 50:5 (CEB)
Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life." ~ John 6.68 (NLT)
KEY IDEA:
Stay connected with Christ so you can experience real life.
PRAYER:
Lord, your promises are eternal. You don't change your mind and cancel. I'm grateful because I have found that people are not very good at keeping promises. Even I, in spite of good intentions, can't always do what I say I'll do. I let down others, you, and even myself. Continue to draw me to yourself with your faithfulness so that I can experience the real life that you promise. Amen.
The Third Sunday of Easter
Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting. ~ Exodus 33:11 (NLT)
They said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts on fire when he spoke to us along the road and when he explained the scriptures for us?” ~ Luke 24:32 (CEB)
KEY IDEA:
Being with God lights a fire within us.
PRAYER:
Loving God, thank you for welcoming us into your presence. I am easily distracted by the rockstars and glitter of the world. They get in the way of my time with you. Please show me how to better manage the distractions of life. I'm going to seek fellowship with you. Amen.
Through God's leadership, we will win. For he’s the one who will walk all over our opponents. ~ Psalm 60:12 (ABP)
Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way. ~ Colossians 3:17 (MSG)
KEY IDEA:
Our connection with God that comes through Christ empowers us to succeed.
PRAYER:
Loving God, thank you for sending Jesus to walk with me. I confess that when things go well, I often claim Credit even though it's his peace that steadies every step. Forgive me, and give me courage when foes cross my path. Rein in my unruliness and clothe me with love, that I may do everything in Jesus' name. Amen. (Daily Texts, Mount Carmel Ministries edition)
I will display my holiness through you as all the nations watch. Then when I have brought you home to the land I promised with a solemn oath to give to your ancestors, you will know that I am the Lord. ~ Ezekiel 20:41-42 (NLT)
I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age. ~ Matthew 28.20 (MSG)
KEY IDEA:
We can be certain that when God sends us on a mission for him, he'll stay with us.
PRAYER:
Lord, you are loyal and faithful. I can rely on you. Yet, at times I look to lesser sources which demand less of me. Help me to continually acknowledge the value of trusting and following only you. I know that you are as sticky as bubblegum and that you'll stay with me. 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)
