God wants to help

The 3rd Sunday in Eastertide

I begged for your help, and you answered my prayer. ~ Jonah 2:2 (CEV)

One of the meeting-place leaders named Jairus came. When he saw Jesus, he fell to his knees, beside himself as he begged, “My dear daughter is at death’s door. Come and lay hands on her so she will get well and live.” Jesus went with him... ~ Mark 5:22-24 (MSG)

SUMMARY SENTENCE:

God is simply waiting for us to ask for his help.

PRAYER:

Thank you, God, for being available to help. How is it that I am slow to request assistance from you until things are extremely bad. Save me from the deluded thought that I can take care of most anything on my own. I'm going to seek your help starting right now. Amen.

Mature joy

Yes, God will start enjoying you again, making things go well for you just as he enjoyed doing it for your ancestors. ~ Deuteronomy 30:9b (MSG)

Jesus said: If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.

“I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. ~ John 15:10-11 (MSG)

SUMMARY SENTENCE:

God wants us to grow into his joy.

PRAYER:

Loving God, thank you for taking delight in us -- for sharing your joy with us. I confess that I am too easily satisfied with immature forms of joy that are rooted in success, fantasy, and acquisition. Help me to discover mature joy -- the developed joy that you are nurturing in me through Christ. I am going to follow your instructions to see where that leads. Amen.

God can be trusted

Don’t forget that you promised to rescue us. ~ Jeremiah 14:21b (CEV)

God can be trusted, and he chose you to be partners with his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Corinthians 1:9 (CEV)

SUMMARY SENTENCE:

God can be trusted.

PRAYER:

Thank you, God, for trusting us to be partners in the work that Christ Jesus is doing. I confess that I have trust issues. I've been burned too many times -- and I've failed to be totally trustworthy myself. That makes your trust even more significant. Help me to become a trustworthy partner. I am going to trust you to make it so. Amen.

Remember

I, the Lord, made you, and I will not forget you. ~ Isaiah 44:21b (NLT)

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! ~ Hebrews 10:35 (NLT)

SUMMARY SENTENCE:

Don't forget that you're not forgotten.

PRAYER:

Faithful God, you are true to your word. You don't forget your people -- even when we forget that you are there for us. Recharge our confidence in you so that we can become the people you have called us to be -- so that I can complete the assignments you've given to me. No matter what happens I will not forget that you remember. Amen.