GOD'S KINDNESS

The Third Sunday in Eastertide

2 SAMUEL 7:18 (CEB)
Who am I, LORD God, and of what significance is my family that you have brought me this far?

1 CORINTHIANS 15:10 (CEV)
But God was kind! He made me what I am, and his wonderful kindness wasn’t wasted.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Everything we have and everything we are points to God's kindness.

PRAYER
Lord God, I'm nothing, yet you have given me everything. Forgive me for being slow to acknowledge your overwhelming kindness. Stir within me a passion to extend the grace-received to everyone with whom I come in contact. I'm going to celebrate and represent your kindness to the world. Amen.

GOD'S DIRECTIONS

PSALM 19:8 (MSG)
The life-maps of GOD are right,
     showing the way to joy.
The directions of GOD are plain
     and easy on the eyes.

COLOSSIANS 3:16 (MSG)
Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Allow God's instructions to fill your life to the brim and you'll end up with a full life.

PRAYER
Good God, life is so complicated that we'd never be able to assemble things without your directions. Thank you for your Word, which comes to us in person through Jesus and in writing through the Bible. Forgive me for those moments when I try to assemble things on my own -- even though you've given us good instructions. You've even given us the Holy Spirit to guide us through the assembly. Help me to stay focused on the task at hand. I'm going to read the directions. Amen.

PEOPLE OF LIGHT

DEUTERONOMY 18:10-12 (CEV)
Don’t sacrifice your son or daughter. And don’t try to use any kind of magic or witchcraft to tell fortunes or to cast spells or to talk with spirits of the dead.

The LORD is disgusted with anyone who does these things...

EPHESIANS 5:9-11 (CEB)
Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth. Therefore, test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord, and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
You are people of light so avoid dark things.

PRAYER
God, thank you for sending Jesus to be the light of the world -- not just a set of directions or a philosophy but a living breathing light that reveals truth by his presence. I don't understand how it is that I'm so attracted to Jesus and at the same time so willing to dabble in darkness on the side. Guide me so that I can sidestep everything that is dark and can actually disarm darkness by shining your light. Amen.

OVERFLOWING WITH HAPPINESS

PSALM 5:11 (CEB)
...all who love your name
can rejoice in you.

ACTS 13:52 (CEB)
Because of the abundant presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, the disciples were overflowing with happiness.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God's presence in our lives fills us with joy.

PRAYER
Glorious God, thank you for the Holy Spirit who resides among us and in us. It is wonderful to have you with us. Yet, even though there is so much cause for joy in my life I get distracted by the happiness-sucking things going on in the world. Help me to put those things in perspective so that my joy washes them out to sea never to be seen again. I'm going to allow your loving presence to fill my life with joy. Amen.