Safety officer

THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN EASTERTIDE

You, Lord God, are my protector. Rescue me and keep me safe from all who chase me. ~ Psalm 7:1 (CEV)

Jesus prayed: Father, I don’t ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. ~ John 17:15 (CEV)

KEY IDEA:

Jesus' goal is that we would be kept safe from evil.

PRAYER:

Lord, thank you for looking out for me. We have different goals, though. I'm wishing that you would protect me from anything that would disrupt life as I want to live it. But you are focused on keeping me safe and helping me to get through the disruptions in one piece. I need a new perspective shaped by your agenda. Please intervene. I'm going to trust that part of being safe is knowing that you know what is best for me. Amen.

Call out

The danger of death was all around me;
the horrors of the grave closed in on me;
I was filled with fear and anxiety.
Then I called to the Lord,
“I beg you, Lord, save me!” ~ Psalm 116:3-4 (GNT)

Jesus' disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?”
Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm. ~ Mark 4:38b-39 (CEV)

KEY IDEA:

Call out to Jesus when the storm in your life is raging and he will take care of you.

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, I'm in awe of the way that you stopped that storm. I wish you'd stop the storm around me. But I knonw that you don't always do things in exactly the same way. I do know that you will take care of me. I am counting on that. Please remove all the panic from my life so that I can fully trust you. Amen.

God dwelling in us

Solomon said: “But can you, O God, really live on earth? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough?" ~ 1 Kings 8:27 (GNT)

No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love! ~ 1 John 4:12 (MSG)

KEY IDEA:

While neither the heavens and earth -- nor the temples -- can contain God -- when we love he dwells in us.

PRAYER:

God, you are such a mystery. You can't be contained within creation; yet you dwell in the people who act in love. How can this be? Forgive me for allowing myself to be paralyzed by what I don't understand. Help me to move forward in simple faith and to major in loving the others. I am confident that as I express your love to others, you are living in me. What a joyous mystery! Amen.

No fear!

Just as a bird hovers over its nest to protect its young, so I, the Lord Almighty, will protect Jerusalem and defend it. ~ Isaiah 31:5 (GNT)

Meanwhile, God’s firm foundation is as firm as ever, these sentences engraved on the stones: God knows who belongs to him. ~ 2 Timothy 2:19 (CEV)

KEY IDEA:

God protects his people.

PRAYER:

Lord God, thank you for looking out for me. I confess that I let fear take over too often. I do things and say things because I am afraid. Help me to remember that I don't have to be afraid. Help me to trust that you will protect me, no matter what happens. I'm going to build my life on you the solid foundation. No fear! Amen.