The Lord is truthful;
he can be trusted. ~ Psalm 33:4 (CEV)
Jesus says: "Don’t suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning." ~ Matthew 5:17 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
We can count on what Jesus says and does. He is reliable and truthful.
PRAYER:
Lord, you have been so faithful. You have never let your people down. We let you down. But you never let us down. You always keep your word. Help me to be more consistent about keeping my word and help me, too, so that my word is more about your word. I want to participate in the new creation that you are forming. And I know that the starting point for me is Jesus. Amen.
Transfiguration Sunday
(Lord) you gave life to all. The heavenly powers bow down and worship you. ~ Nehemiah 9:6b (GNT)
The Word gave life to everything that was created
and his life brought light to everyone. ~ John 1:4 (NLT)
KEY IDEA:
The Lord is the source of all life. He should be honored as such.
PRAYER:
Lord, you are the light of the world. You make it all happen and shine your energy into every single place in creation. I take that fact too lightly. I want to make life about me rather than what you are doing. Help me to change my focus so that I am bowing down to worship you with every single breath I breathe. You are worthy! Amen!
You’re all I want in heaven!
You’re all I want on earth! ~ Psalm 73:25 (MSG)
You have never seen Jesus, and you don’t see him now. But still you love him... ~ 1 Peter 1:8a (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
When we truly love Jesus the love overcomes obstacles and distractions.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, I really do love you. It's not because I'm good at love but because you loved me first and gave me this kind of love. But sometimes I get distracted by the glitter and shiny things the world system produces. Help me to ignore those things and to focus on loving you. I'm wanting my whole life to be about loving Jesus. Amen.
The Lord was truly merciful,
so he rescued his people.
He took them in his arms
and carried them all those years. ~ Isaiah 63:9b (CEV)
You had wandered away
like sheep.
Now you have returned
to the one
who is your shepherd
and protector. ~ 1 Peter 2:25 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
It's time to turn to the Lord because he is your shepherd and protector.
PRAYER:
Lord, it is so easy for us to run away like naughty sheep. There are so many interesting things out there -- all of them in someway dangerous. But we like taking unhealthy risks. Please cure us of that bad habit. I am turning to you and trusting you to be the shepherd who will take care of me. I am counting on Jesus the Good Shepherd. Thank you for protecting me. Amen.
*ABOUT THE
DAILY TEXTS
The Daily Texts have been published by the Moravian Church since 1731. In 2011 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)
