The Lord is a fortress protecting my life.
Should I be frightened of anything? ~ Psalm 27:1b (CEB)
God didn’t give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7 (CEB)
KEY THOUGHT:
Because God is looking out for us, we don't entertain fear in our lives.
PRAYER:
God, you are powerful and compassionate -- a winning combination. Yet, even though there is no cause for allowing fear to control so much of my life -- I still do. Help me to trust that you have my best interests at heart and the power to execute your will. I am going to resist timidity and live boldly for Christ Jesus. Amen!
Instead, your sins have kept these good things from you. ~ Jeremiah 5:25 (GNT)
I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. ~ Romans 7:19 (NLT)
KEY THOUGHT:
We have a problem doing good.
PRAYER:
Thank you God for the good that you send my way. I like to think of myself as good but when I step back to evaluate, I realize that I'm far from it. Through Christ restore me so that I am 100% good -- his good alive in me. Even though I realize that I fall short of good, I am trusting that the goodness of Christ will re-form me. Amen.
The 2nd Sunday in Lent
Don’t hold grudges. On the other hand, it’s wrong not to correct someone who needs correcting. ~ Leviticus 19:17 (CEV)
But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. ~ Matthew 5:44-45a (CEV)
KEY THOUGHT:
When we treat our enemies with grace instead of disdain we show that our Heavenly Father is living in us.
PRAYER:
Gracious Heavenly Father, I'm grateful that you welcome me into your presence -- even when I don't deserve it. I have trouble being so gracious to those around me -- especially those who are out to get me or who treat me poorly. Grant that I might have your gracious heart pumping in me. My first response to bad people will be to look for ways to love my enemies. Amen.
Speak the truth to each other; make truthful, just, and peaceable decisions within your gates. ~ Zechariah 8:16b (CEB)
Love does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:6 (NLT)
KEY THOUGHT:
God values truth, so ultimately truth wins.
PRAYER:
Thank you, God, for standing for truth. I allow myself to get so discouraged by the evil people of these times who have no regard for the truth. All they care about it spinning a story to make themselves look important. Help me to see how truth will win out. And help me to stand faithfully with Christ, who is truth embodied, so that justice and peace reigns. I'm going to start with the rejoicing now for what is a future certainty. 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 — 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)
