We escaped like a bird from the hunters’ trap;
the trap was broken so we escaped! ~ Psalm 124:7 (CEB)
Suddenly an angel from the Lord appeared and a light shone in the prison cell. After nudging Peter on his side to awaken him, the angel raised him up and said, “Quick! Get up!” The chains fell from his wrists. ~ Acts 12:7 (CEB)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
The Lord directs our escape.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for breaking me out of the jail which is my sinful and stubborn self. I confess, though, that even though the door is wide open and I'm free to leave, that I'm slow to walk out the door. Even though jail life isn't the best, it is predictable. And sometimes I just lack energy to deal with change -- even good change. So, please, take me by the hand and lead me out the door. I'm going to go with you. Amen.
The Lord kept the promise that his prophet Elijah had made, and she did not run out of flour or oil. ~ 1 Kings 17:16 (CEV)
Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted. ~ Mark 6:41-42 (NLT)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
The Lord provides.
PRAYER
God, you are exceedingly generous. Forgive me for worrying over whether there will be enough. I've embraced a mindset of scarcity. Help me to relax and accept your mindset of abundance. I'm going to trust you to provide exactly what I need when I need it. Amen.
You shall not steal. ~ Exodus 20:15 (NRSV)
Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:24 (NLT)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Look out for the good of others.
PRAYER
Thank you, God, for looking out for me. Forgive me for my own short-sighted me first outlook. As you renew my life give me a heart that reflects your approach -- looking out for others. I'm going to grow in Christ-likeness. Amen.
“Comfort, oh comfort my people,”
says your God.
“Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem,
but also make it very clear
That she has served her sentence,
that her sin is taken care of—forgiven!
She’s been punished enough and more than enough,
and now it’s over and done with.”
~ Isaiah 40:2 (MSG)
God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens. ~ Romans 8:21 (MSG)
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Live now according to the freedom that God is in the process of implementing.
PRAYER
Thank you, God, for the freedom that Christ delivers to all who will accept it. Forgive me for wallowing in my guilt -- as though that's normal. Help me to be matter-of-fact about my sinfulness, giddy over my forgiveness, and extravagant with my freedom. I'm eager for a full and free life in the new creation. 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)
