Relax

The Third Sunday after Pentecost

Worship only me, the Lord your God! I will bless you with plenty of food and water and keep you strong. ~ Exodus 23:25 (CEV)

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ~ Matthew 6:31,32 (NLT)

KEY IDEA:

God will take care of what you need; so stop worrying.

PRAYER:

Thank you, God, for taking care of all that I need. You have always provided for me. So, why do I worry so much? Maybe worry makes me feel like I am the one who is really in control and that I am influencing the outcomes by stressing over it all. Help me to stop doing that. I am going to relax and trust you. Amen.

We can choose

I will punish you based on what you have done, declares the Lord. ~ Jeremiah 21:14 (CEB)

Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up. ~ Galatians 6:9 (CEB)

KEY IDEA:

We can choose.

PRAYER:

Gracious God, thank you for giving us choices. I know that I too quickly complain about how messy things are and that I'm stuck having to do things that I don't choose. I feel like the choice is not mine. But really that is a smoke screen to hide the fact that a lot of the things I choose to do are just plain wrong. Forgive me and please empower me to keep up the good you've called me to do. I am going enjoy the harvest. Amen.

By grace we belong

Count us in: We too are going to worship God. He’s our God. ~ Joshua 24:18 (MSG)

In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. ~ Romans 12:5-6 (CEB)

KEY IDEA:

By his grace God invites us to live as we belong.

PRAYER:

Lord, by grace you are my God. By grace, you made me a unique member of your body. By grace, you even gave me power and gifts to serve you. By grace, you partnered me with many other unique members. Today is an opportunity to serve you. By grace, lead me to see, speak, and act. Amen. (Daily Texts, Mount Carmel Ministries edition)

God's secrets

You’ve heard and seen all this— won’t you admit it? From now on I’ll tell you new things, guarded secrets that you don’t know. ~ Isaiah 48:6 (CEB)

By what Christ has done, God has shown us his own mysterious ways. ~ Ephesians 1:9 (CEV)

KEY IDEA:

Through what Christ has done and does, God reveals his most guarded secrets.

PRAYER:

Resurrected Christ, you are the one who most clearly reveals who God is and what he is doing. Everything that came before you was good and powerful but through you things come into even greater focus. Help me to stay focused because I tend to drift. I need you every second of every hour, for you hold everything together for me. With your permission I'm going to share your wonderul secrets with whoever will listen. Amen.