Filled

The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the Lord as one. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other musical instruments, they began to sing, praising the Lord: "Yes, God is good! Yes, God’s faithful love lasts forever!"

... the Lord’s glory filled God’s temple. ~ 2 Chronicles 5: 13-14 (CEB)

I pray that you and all of God’s people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep. I want you to know all about Christ’s love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is. ~ Ephesians 3:18-19 (CEV)

KEY IDEA:

Our goal is to be filled with all that God is.

PRAYER:

Glorious God, your love is beyond measure. And through Christ, you draw us into it at a level never before experienced. How can we be so numb to the wonder of it all? Could it be that I've given fake wonders a place in my life. Refresh your love in me so that I might be filled with your loving presence. Amen.

Light

God’s Message to the family of Israel: "Seek me and live." ~ Amos 5:4 (MSG)

As long as you have the light, believe in the light so that you might become people whose lives are determined by the light. ~ John 12:36 (CEB)

KEY IDEA:

Let the light of Christ define your life.

PRAYER:

Jesus, you are the light of the world. You starred down the darkness and won an eternal victory. We can now live lives determined by your light. Yet, I'm still drawn to darkness and dark things. Even though I believe in you, what you have done, and that my future rests with you, I have not completely broken from the darkness. Grant me the courage to move forward with you -- to believe that your light is redefining life at every level. Help me to fully embrace what you have done and what you are doing so that I can live as a child of light. Amen.

Small is beautiful

"Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings? They’ll change their tune when they see Zerubbabel setting the last stone in place!" ~ Zechariah 4:10 (MSG)

Another story. “God’s kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it.” ~ Matthew 13:31-32 (MSG)

KEY IDEA:

God starts small.

PRAYER:

Great and glorious God, it is so tempting to discount the small things in life and to assume that you only work through what is grand and spectacular. That is so contrary to how you do things. Help me to take the small, simple, and unassuming events as signs of your activity. Help me to get behind what you're doing. I'm going to refocus so that I look for your hand in the small things of life. Amen.

Justice

The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land who practice his justice; seek righteousness; seek humility. ~ Zephaniah 2:3 (CEB)

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. ~ Matthew 5:6 (NLT)

KEY IDEA:

God blesses those who pursue justice.

PRAYER:

Jesus, thank you for dying to establish a justice by which we can live forever. Forgive me for seeing justice as a secondary issue without eternal value. Give me the wisdom to pursue the kind of justice which characterizes your kingdom. I'm going to pursue justice for those who are weak and vulnerable that eventually, all people might recognize the justice of the cross. Amen.