The 7th Sunday in Eastertide
As it turns out, forgiveness is your habit,
and that’s why you’re worshiped. ~ Psalm 130:4 (MSG)
Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. ~ Colossians 3:13b (MSG)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
When we're truly connected to God through Christ, forgiveness becomes a natural habit.
PRAYER
Thank you, God, for so freely forgiving me. I confess, though, that in spite of my good intentions I am still harboring ill-will toward the people who have hurt me. Draw me closer to you so that as your blood flows through me I might forgive like you. I'm looking forward to the time when forgiveness becomes my default response. Amen.
Moses said: You have a choice—do you want the LORD to bless you, or do you want him to put a curse on you? Today I am giving you his laws, and if you obey him, he will bless you. But if you disobey him and worship those gods that have never done anything for you, the LORD will put a curse on you. ~ Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (CEV)
You serve the Lord Christ. But evildoers will receive their reward for their evil actions. There is no discrimination. ~ Colossians 3:24-25 (CEB)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
We can choose who we will serve but we will serve somebody.
PRAYER
Lord God, I can't think of a greater privelege than to be serving you. Of course, I'm still learning and I'm an easily distracted servant. Forgive me for turning my focus in directions that I should avoid. Guide me into your service. That is my choice. I want to share in your blessings!
Amen.
Isn’t Ephraim my much-loved child?
Don’t I utterly adore him?
Even when I scold him,
I still hold him dear.
I yearn for him and love him deeply,
declares the LORD.
~ Jeremiah 31:20 (CEB)
The younger son got up and started back to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son and hugged and kissed him. ~ Luke 15:20 (CEV)
SUMMARY SENTENCE God loves even his wayward children.
PRAYER Powerful, yet compassionate, God, thank you for loving me. I confess that I'm a failure when it comes to returning your love. Help me to grow in my understanding of your mercy and grace so that I can find transformation in your love. I'm going to start by saying "I love you." Amen.
Ascension Day
Those of you who love the Lord, hate evil! ~ Psalm 97:10 (CEB)
Love should always make us tell the truth. Then we will grow in every way and be more like Christ, the head. ~ Ephesians 4:15 (CEV)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Truthfulness and love are inseparable.
PRAYER
Lord God, you are the reliable source for truth. And you speak it out of love. I'm not so good at either loving or telling the truth. It's not that I intentionally lie. It's just that in my subtle attempts to present myself in the best way possible I'm inclined to fudge or gloss over details. Help me to mature so that I am completely transparent in my love and truthfulness. I'm going to look like Christ. 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)
