ATTENTION

PSALM 139:23-24 (NRSV)
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
   test me and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
   and lead me in the way everlasting.

MATTHEW 7:4 (MSG)
The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Slackers will have a hard time moving along with God. 

DAILY FODDER
God knows what kind of losers we are at the core. But our deep rooted failure doesn't prevent him from reaching out to us. It's more that our rotten core keeps us from responding to God's kind overtures.  

PRAYER
Merciful Savior, thank you for caring about us even when we could care less about you. We lack the capacity to attend to you and your ways. Worm your way into my life. Fine tune my attention span so my long and short term focus remains with you. Jesus, I recognize that you are THE way to life so I'm going to stick with 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 will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

PITIFUL

Transfiguration Sunday

ISAIAH 63:9 (MSG)
In all their troubles,
   he was troubled, too.
He didn’t send someone else to help them.
He did it himself, in person.
Out of his own love and pity
   he redeemed them.
He rescued them and carried them along
   for a long, long time.

MATTHEW 20:30 (CEV)
Two blind men were sitting beside the road. And when they heard that Jesus was coming their way, they shouted, “Lord and Son of David, have pity on us!”

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God has pity on those who need rescuing. 

DAILY FODDER
How does the idea of Jesus having pity on you make you feel? Embarrassed? Grateful? Denial? 

PRAYER
Merciful Savior, I'm grateful that you hear the cries of needy people.  There is so much going on that is tearing my life apart. Have pity on me because I need your healing. Reassure me that you are going to carry me along the road, as you did for your people long ago. I'm grateful for your compassion and mercy. 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 will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

THE ONE AND ONLY

ISAIAH 46:9 (MSG)
Remember your history,
your long and rich history.
I am GOD, the only God you’ve had or ever will have—
incomparable, irreplaceable...

REVELATION 1:8 (GNB)
“I am the first and the last,” says the Lord God Almighty, who is, who was, and who is to come.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
The Lord God is the totally unique, peerless, forever-faithful divine patron.  

DAILY FODDER
What are the daily implications of living with such a unique God? 

PRAYER
Glorious God, how is it that I ended up on your radar? Thank you for including me in your world. Forgive me for paying attention to lesser beings and their agendas. Show me what needs to change to make my life more compatible with yours, then make the necessary adjustments. I'm just along for the glorious ride you started so long ago. 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 will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

OVERCOMERS

PSALM 66:12 (ABP)
You, God, let the outsiders run over us—
   we’ve been through fires and floods.
But you brought us out these trials to a place of freedom!

2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-12 (MSG)
We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Through our connection with Jesus we overcome evil assaults, to serve as he did. 

DAILY FODDER
The temptation is to believe that opposition is a sign that we're operating outside God's will, the opposite of the reality. 

PRAYER
Good Shepherd, bring me into your gracious space. May I join others in giving thanks for bringing us through so much. May my life and even my wounds show your helping and healing. May I be a wounded healer and not a wounded wounder. Make my struggles a source of helping and not hurting for others. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

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 will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.