SENSE OF ALONENESS

PSALM 12:1 (CEB)
Help, LORD, because the godly are all gone;
the faithful have completely disappeared
from the human race!

JOHN 6:67 (ABP)
After the large contingent of disciples abandoned Jesus, he turned to the Twelve and asked, "Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to bail on me, too?”

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Even when you're faithful, sometimes it feels like you're going it alone.
 
DAILY FODDER
Have you ever felt like you were going it alone? How did that sense of aloneness get resolved?

PRAYER
Faithful God, I take comfort in the fact that even if everyone else were to desert me you'd be faithful. Forgive me for wallowing in the discomfort of aloneness. Increase my awareness of the hope I already have—the hope that does not depend on anyone but you. I'm not going to let the naysayers gaslight me because I know that you are faithful. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil. Amen! 

RADIATE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST

PSALM 119:130 (MSG)
Every word you give me is a miracle word—
how could I help but obey?
Break open your words, let the light shine out,
let ordinary people see the meaning.

EPHESIANS 5:8 (ABP)
Once your lives epitomized darkness but now through your connection to the Lord you are light! Since you are now children of light let that light radiate from your life through the way you live.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Radiate the light of Christ with your life.
 
DAILY FODDER
How can you improve the amount of Christ's light radiating from your life?

PRAYER
Thank you, God, for your word and the way that your light flows into my life through your instructions. Forgive me for my association with dark things. Crank up the flow of light into my life so that I can share it with others. I'm hoping that they don't see me but notice you, the light of the world. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil. Amen! 

CARING

ZECHARIAH 7:10 (CEV)
Don't mistreat widows or orphans or foreigners or anyone who is poor...

EPHESIANS 4:20 (CEB)
But you didn’t learn that sort of thing from Christ.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
You can't spend much time with Jesus and not realize that like the prophets before him caring for the marginalized is central to his mission, the mission in which he invites us to partner. 
 
DAILY FODDER
If we're mistreating or indifferent to marginalized people we haven't been to school with Jesus.

PRAYER
Merciful God, you care for the broken. And I know I should, too. It's not that I don't care but that the acts of care are squeezed from my busy schedule. Fill me again with passion for everything and everyone Christ cares for. I really do want to care for those in need. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil. Amen! 

TRUSTWORTHY

Christ the King Sunday

NAHUM 1:7 (NLT)
The LORD is good,
a strong refuge when trouble comes.
He is close to those who trust in him.

MATTHEW 7:7 (NLT)
Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. 

Keep on seeking, and you will find. 

Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Keep on trusting God for whatever you need. 
 
DAILY FODDER
I don't worry about how to handle the future because I've seen how God has provided up to this point. He's trustworthy.

PRAYER
Faithful God, you've made your presence known in times of rest and times of tension. Thank you. Forgive me for allowing anxiety into my life—contrary to my experience with you. Keep me focused. Keep me persistent. Keep me trusting. I'm going to celebrate your faithfulness by trusting you. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you would protect us from all forms of evil. Amen!