God's attention

The 7th Sunday after Pentecost

Then I ask, “Why do you care
     about us humans?
Why are you concerned
     for us weaklings?”
~ Psalm 8:4 (CEV)

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. ~ Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

SUMMARY SENTENCE

We are important to God.

PRAYER

Thank you, God, for your attention. Christ Jesus showed us how much you care. I confess that I sometimes have a hard time believing that I'm important to you. There is so much to the world that I feel like I'm merely a little tree in a giant forest. Help me to see things from your divine perspective -- at least as much as possible. I'm going to trust that you have a plan for us all and I'm going to focus on living as a significant person according to your will. Amen.

No escape

From the dawn of time, I am the one. No one can escape my power. I act, and who can undo it? ~ Isaiah 43:13 (CEB)

We all must appear before Christ in court... ~ 2 Corinthians 5:10 (CEB)

SUMMARY SENTENCE

There is no escaping God's judgement.

PRAYER

Indeed, you God are the one and only. Thank you for including me in your world. I confess, though, that I think and act as though I am unaccountable to anyone other than myself. Give me a more mature understanding of life so that I can more fully trust in your grace. You have paid all the fines and the fees. I'm going to live in the shadow of that sacrifice. Amen.

Inside and out

The Lord your God is more powerful than all other gods and lords, and his tremendous power is to be feared. His decisions are always fair, and you cannot bribe him to change his mind. ~ Deuteronomy 10:17 (CEV)

You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. ~ Matthew 5:8 (MSG)

SUMMARY SENTENCE

You can't buy God but through Christ he wants to change your interior life so that his presence is evident in your exterior life.

PRAYER

All knowing God, thank you for the way that you are putting the world right through Christ. I confess that not everything is right inside my heart and mind. I'm inclined to let things get out of hand. My thoughts are not very kind and sometimes that translates into unkind action. Forgive me and continue to change me so that my life -- inside and out -- are more fully aligned with the mission of Christ. Amen.

The water

All of you who are thirsty, come to the water! ~ Isaiah 55:1 (CEB)

Jesus: Whoever drinks from the water that I will give will never be thirsty again. ~ John 4:14 (CEB)

SUMMARY SENTENCE

God is in the business of quenching our thirst -- physical and spiritual.

PRAYER

Generous God, thank you for the provisions which sustain me as a person. Forgive me for trying to quench my thirst in inappropriate soda pop ways -- ways which are pleasurable but only marginally effective for my long term health. Lead me to the water. Fill me with more of Jesus so that as a forgiven person I can share water with the thirsty. Amen.