ISAIAH 51:4 (CEV)
The LORD says:
You are my people and nation!
So pay attention to me.
My teaching will cause justice
to shine like a light
for every nation.
1 JOHN 2:8 (CEV)
You can see the darkness fading away and the true light already shining.
SUMMARY SENTENCE
The light of Christ, manifest in our lives, is an assault on darkness.
PRAYER
Light of the world, shine in my darkness. Shine with your word and your teaching and your justice. Shine in me and through me, today. Make the darkness pass away. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)
EXODUS 33:15 (ABP)
Then Moses said to GOD, “Unless you are going to personally lead us, please don't send us away from this place."
JOHN 10:4 (CEB)
Whenever he has gathered all of his sheep, he goes before them and they follow him, because they know his voice.
SUMMARY SENTENCE
We crave leaders who lead and that's why we follow Jesus.
PRAYER
Good Shepherd, you understand how leadership works. Thank you for your beckoning voice. Forgive me for inviting so many other distracting voices into my life that it's hard to hear you. I'm going to focus on following only you. Amen.
PSALM 31:15 (CEV)
My life is in your hands.
LUKE 12:25 (CEV)
Can worry make you live longer?
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Once we acknowledge that ultimately we are powerless over the future, we can relax and leave our lives in the hands of God.
PRAYER
Responsible God, thank you for remaining at the helm and guiding me through these stormy waters. I admit that I worry a lot about what's up ahead. Help me to give up my worrying and to trust you. Just as you are already my Savior I'm going to have faith that you will continue to save me. Amen.
DEUTERONOMY 28:1,6 (CEB)
Now if you really obey the LORD your God’s voice... you will be blessed when you are out and about and blessed when you come back.
MATTHEW 12:50 (MSG)
The person who obeys my heavenly Father’s will is my brother and sister and mother.
SUMMARY SENTENCE
Those who obey God are blessed by God.
PRAYER
Thank you, God, for directing us. I admit that I don't always pay close attention to directions. I'm a bit lazy and I have gotten used to making things up as I go. Of course, the results are not all that good so I need to start doing things in a new way. Help me to focus on obeying you and following your directions. I'm going to enjoy the blessings that come from doing things your way. 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)
