All we need

...the Lord your God has been with you. You haven’t needed a thing. ~ Deuteronomy 2:7b (CEB)

Paul wrote: But in everything and in every way we show that we truly are God’s servants. We have always been patient, though we have had a lot of trouble, suffering, and hard times... and we are always happy, even in times of suffering. Although we are poor, we have made many people rich. And though we own nothing, everything is ours. ~ 2 Corinthians 6:4,10 (CEV)

SUMMARY SENTENCE:

God provides all that we need.

PRAYER:

Thank you, God, for being with us -- and providing for all that I need. I admit that I can be a complainer because I desire more than I need and feel slightly that I don't have what other less-deserving people seem to have. Free me from this lack of perspective. Give me fresh insight into what I actually need and how you faithfully provide. I'm going to be a happy servant of Christ, regardless of the circumstances. Amen.

Hope that lives on

My mercy and justice are coming soon.
     My salvation is on the way.
     My strong arm will bring justice to the nations.
All distant lands will look to me
     and wait in hope for my powerful arm.
~ Isaiah 51:5 (NLT)

Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. ~ 1 Peter 1:3 (CEV)

SUMMARY SENTENCE:

God's salvation is certainly coming.

PRAYER:

Good God, thank you for raising Jesus from the dead and thus securing our future. I confess that I often fail to connect this hope to the ordeals that come at me. Help me to apply the certainty of complete healing and justice -- of salvation -- to my current situation. I'm going to live in light of our living hope. Amen.

Holy urgency

Easter Monday

Jacob went on his way, and God’s messengers approached him. ~ Genesis 32:1 (CEB)

The angel said to the women, "Go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.'" ~ Matthew 28:5a,7 (NRSV)

SUMMARY SENTENCE:

When God sends us on an assignment it is time to get moving.

PRAYER:

Thank you, God, for the new life that Christ Jesus secured for us through the resurrection. He left the Heavenly Fellowship to make it happen. I confess that even though I find this to be good news I am sluggish in my response. I know that I should move outside my comfort zone to share the news but I keep finding excuses to sit in my chair. Use your Spirit to foster a sense of holy urgency so that I can complete my assignment. I'm no longer going to be a procrastinator. Amen.

Resurrection light

Resurrection Sunday -- Easter

The whole earth is wrapped in darkness,
     all people sunk in deep darkness,
But God rises on you,
     his sunrise glory breaks over you.
~ Isaiah 60:2 (MSG)

Very early on Sunday morning, as the sun rose, they went to the tomb. They worried out loud to each other, “Who will roll back the stone from the tomb for us?”

Then they looked up, saw that it had been rolled back—it was a huge stone—and walked right in. ~ Mark 16:2-4 (MSG)

SUMMARY SENTENCE:

The resurrection of Jesus is the beginning of God's light breaking up the darkness that wraps the world.

PRAYER:

God, we are so grateful for the good news -- that Jesus, who sacrificed his life for us, has risen from the dead. Forgive my sometimes casual reception of the news. I've heard it so many times that I've allowed myself to become callous to the impact. Help me to visualize the light breaking the darkness and to let you redefine my life by this light. I'm going to allow you to etch your resurrection message onto my heart. Amen.