God’s Decree.
“I, yes I, am your true husband.
I’ll pick you out... and bring you to Zion. ~ Jeremiah 3:14 (MSG)
However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. ~ John 6:37b (NLT)
KEY IDEA:
God is faithful beyond what you might expect.
PRAYER:
Kind God, you never reject the people who sincerely turn to you. You even go out of your way to seek people out. Thank you. I'm too comfortable with my life as it is. However, the idea of going on a journey with you feels disruptive. But you know that if I'm going to truly enjoy your faithfulness I need some disruption. Move forward with your plan for my life. Amen.
You will be my holy nation and serve me as priests. ~ Exodus 19:6a (CEV)
After Jesus had greeted them again, he said, “I am sending you, just as the Father has sent me.” ~ John 20:21 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
Jesus sends all his people out to serve him.
PRAYER:
Thank you, Lord, for calling me to join your service. Your calling gives my life a purpose. I worry, though, that I will fail in my mission. There is no good reason to worry but it feels like a lot of responsibility to represent you. Please fill me with confidence. Even if I do fail some you still love me and want to include me. Amen.
God gives his people peace. ~ Psalm 29:11b (MSG)
This is the same message that God gave to the people of Israel, when he sent Jesus Christ, the Lord of all, to offer peace to them. ~ Acts 10:36 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
Jesus makes peace.
PRAYER:
Prince of Peace, we are in desperate need of your peace. Yet, I admit that I am the first person to get all riled up when people don't do things your way. I'm ready to go to war against them. I'm too much of a hot head. Calm me down so that I radiate your peace -- especially toward the people who stir up trouble. I need to learn how to respond differently -- to respond your way rather than the typical way. Thank you for offering peace to both your friends and your enemies. I'm excited about learning to become that kind of a peacemaker. Amen.
THE 8th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
But you were like a cloud,
protecting us from the sun.
You kept our enemies from singing
songs of victory. ~ Isaiah 25:5b (CEV)
God’s Son appeared for this purpose: to destroy the works of the devil. ~ 1 John 3:8b
KEY IDEA:
Jesus destroys evil.
PRAYER:
Thank you, Jesus, for being with me when I come up against evil. On my own, I'm seduced by voices that promise safety and the good life but produce emptiness and fear. Hold me fast and help me trust that you win the day. Let my song be your story of abundant life and mercy. Amen. (Daily Texts, Mount Carmel Ministries edition)
*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)
