I’m coming to gather all nations and cultures. They will come to see my glory. ~ Isaiah 66:18 (CEB)
It doesn't matter if someone is Jewish or pagan or whatever. We're all dealing with the same God who is over all people -- and who is outrageously generous to all who call on him for assistance. ~ Romans 10:12 (ABP)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
God's gifts are available to all people!
PRAYER
Thank you so much for creating so many different cultures and ways of doing things. You are a God of great variety. I confess that my vision is still pretty narrow -- that I see and gravitate toward the people who are most like me. Help me to open up so that I can appreciate the differences and work with you as you bring all people together to experience your generosity -- the grace that is poured out through Christ Jesus, our Savior. Amen.
Don't spread false rumors. ~ Exodus 23:1a (CEB)
Paul wrote: Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple. ~ 2 Timothy 2:15 (MSG)
SUMMARY SENTENCE Be extreme about speaking truthfully.
PRAYER Jesus, you are the way, the truth, and the life. Forgive me for trying to spin out my own version of truth to accomplish my own objectives. Help me to concentrate on communicating what you would consider to be truth. I want to be known by you and others as a straight shooter. Amen.
Hush before the Lord God,
for the day of the Lord is near! ~ Zephaniah 1:7a (CEB)
Jesus said: Are you listening to this? Really listening? ~ Mark 4:9 (MSG)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Talk less and listen more to what God is saying.
PRAYER
Lord God, thank you for being here for us. I confess that even though you are here and involved, I don't put as much energy into listening to you as I could. Help me to figure out how to focus and pay attention now so that I'm ready on your big day. Amen.
Job said, "I entered the world with nothing and that's how I'll depart it." ~ Job 1:21 (ABP)
After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. ~ 1 Timothy 6:7-8 (NLT)
SUMMARY SENTENCE Life is basic so be content with the basics.
PRAYER God, you've given us incredible lives. Thank you. I confess that I'm still drawn toward the consumer mindset. No matter what I have I'm attracted to the idea of more or new or improved. I realized that those things aren't necessarily bad but to root my happiness in them undermines the contentment that is ours in Christ. Show me how to reverse the trend. Show me what I should be giving away today. I'm going to enjoy the basics. 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 -- a 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)
