God is love

For your own sake, be very careful to love the Lord your God. ~ Joshua 23:11 (CEB)

God is love, and those who live in love live in union with God and God lives in union with them. ~ 1 John 4:16 (GNT)

KEY IDEA:

Make love of God your top priority if you want the love of God to live through you.

PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for loving me -- even when I am so unloveable. I want to be like you but I'm not all that careful about loving you. I am easily distracted by other things which I love instead of you. Help me to turn around and focus on loving you. I'm going to start my days by saying "God is love" just to remind myself of what I'm doing. Amen.

Hope

The poor and the homeless won’t always be forgotten and without hope. ~ Psalm 9:18 (CEV)

And so we will always be with the Lord. So then, encourage one another with these words. ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:17b-18 (GNT)

KEY IDEA:

Be encouraged because eventually the Lord will make everything right.

PRAYER:

Lord, you fill me with hope. I need to be reminded of what you are doing because I too easily allow myself to be swallowed by the hopelessness of the world around me. Our leaders are pathetic. Greed runs unchecked. Women are abused. People take advantage of the poor. But you are coming to make everything right. That is my moment by moment source of hope. Amen.

Teaching

When I remember your ancient rules, I’m comforted, Lord. ~ Psalm 119:52 (CEB)

Mary sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. ~ Luke 10:39b (NLT)

KEY IDEA:

The Lord's instruction continues to bring encouragement throughout the years.

PRAYER:

Living Word of God, thank you for teaching us with your life and your words. Given the quality of instruction you give, it would make sense that we would be fanatical about listening to you. Your instruction would do us a lot of good if we'd pay more attention to it. I don't really know, though, why I don't more fully embrace something that is so wonderful. Help me sort through this issue so that I can become like Mary -- sitting at your feet -- paying full and complete attention to everything you are teaching. Amen.

One shepherd, one flock

Come save us and bless us. Be our shepherd and always carry us in your arms. ~ Psalm 28:9 (CEV)

I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them together too, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd. ~ John 10:16 (CEV)

KEY IDEA:

Jesus is the shepherd and we're in his flock.

PRAYER:

Good Shepherd, thank you for leading and protecting us. I confess, though, that I'm not eager to welcome new sheep into the flock. I say that I welcome other sheep but in reality, I make it hard for them to feel fully comfortable. Guide me toward embracing a new attitude so that there is truly one flock lead by one shepherd. Amen.