My God knew that I was innocent, and he sent an angel to keep the lions from eating me. ~ Daniel 6:22 (CEV)
We are harassed, but we aren’t abandoned. We are knocked down, but we aren’t knocked out. ~ 2 Corinth 4:9 (CEB)
SUMMARY SENTENCE God is the one who keeps us in the battle.
PRAYER Christ Jesus, by conquering death you showed us what victory looks like. Thank you. I confess that I am inclined to panic at the first sign of trouble. Help me to stay calm and trusting. I believe that you'll get me through this because that's what you do. Amen.
The 4th Sunday after Pentecost
I always put the Lord in front of me. ~ Psalm 16:8 (CEB)
Jesus answered, “Anyone who starts plowing and keeps looking back isn’t worth a thing to God’s kingdom!” ~ Luke 9:62 (CEV)
SUMMARY SENTENCE Keep Jesus and his kingdom as the goal toward which you are moving.
PRAYER God, you've had your eyes on me forever. Thanks! I confess that I am easily distracted and plow crooked rows. Sometimes it's unbelievable how far I stray. Help me to stay focused on Jesus and his kingdom. I want to be eternally useful. Amen.
Refresh your memory of us—you bought us a long time ago.
Your most precious tribe—you paid a good price for us! ~ Psalm 74:2 (MSG)
You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us—in one stroke he became poor and we became rich. ~ 2 Corinthians 8:9 (MSG)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
God paid dearly to rescue us.
PRAYER
Gracious God, thank you for reaching out to us when we were poor and helpless. Thank you for lifting us up at your own expense. Forgive me for acting like I've pulled myself up by my own spiritual bootstraps -- that I've been good enough or active enough to warrant your efforts. Help me to find my full identity in your grace so that I might become a credible witness of what you're up to. Amen.
You’re one happy man when you do what’s right,
one happy woman when you form the habit of justice. ~ Psalm 106:3 (MSG)
The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. ~ 1 John 2:17 (MSG)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
We're fixed for life when we pursue the agenda of God.
PRAYER
O God, it's a joy to know you. You are the one who gives purpose beyond the shallow desires of the world system. But it's hard to break free from the old habits that revolve around serving my desires. Grant me passion for your will and Christ's way of pursuing it. I'm going after true happiness. 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)
