Tuesday, March 28, 2023

WEAKNESS

PSALM 103:14 (ABP)
God is aware of how fragile we are. He knows that he made us from dust.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:10 (ABP)
We deal with a lot of suffering and death constantly looms over us. Our battered bodies show what Jesus' death was like but they are also setting us up to reveal his life.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Our lives are fragile but through our weaknesses, the life of Christ is revealed.

DAILY FODDER
How is the life of Christ revealed through the aches and pains you suffer? How does this change the way that you approach suffering?

PRAYER
It's amazing, God, that you could create such a complex creature as the human being from such a simple source. You understand better than I that I'm fragile and break easily. Yet, I try to present such a strong face. And at times I convince myself that I'm uniquely invincible. Help me to embrace my weaknesses as opportunities to identify with Christ and to share the good news about resurrection living with all who suffer. Even if I'm not all that strong I'm going to reveal the life of Christ to anyone who will pay attention. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

Monday, March 27, 2023

EVANGELISM

PSALM 48:10 (CEB)
Your praise, God, just like your reputation,
     extends to the far corners of the earth.


MATTHEW 10:27 (CEB)
As you go, make this announcement: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Get the word out to everyone everywhere; through Jesus God's kingdom is within reach.

DAILY FODDER
How is Jesus' approach and message different from what we usually think of as evangelism?

PRAYER
Far-sighted God, your vision for making your good news available to the whole world has resulted in my own salvation. Thank you. Forgive me for my limited vision of what this is all about. I have a hard time considering more than my small circle of like-minded friends. Broaden my outlook so that I'm more inclusive and my message is more holistic. I want to help the world see how close Jesus and his kingdom are. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

Sunday, March 26, 2023

SEEING GOD

The Fifth Sunday in Lent

1 KINGS 8:27 (CEB)
King Solomon speaking at the dedication of the temple: "But how could God possibly live on earth?"

JOHN 1:18 (NLT)

No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
In Jesus, resident among us, we see the unseen God.

DAILY FODDER
What, if any, difference does it make to you that Jesus reveals the unseen God?

PRAYER
Glorious God, you make yourself known through Jesus – his life, his instruction, his sacrificial death, his resurrection, his ascension, and his ongoing advocacy on our behalf. Forgive me for acting as though all this Jesus stuff is so other-worldly. Refresh my vision for the world into which you came to spearhead a renewal. Just as Jesus reveals you to the world through his life I want to reveal Jesus to the world through my life. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.


Saturday, March 25, 2023

REIMAGINING POWER

PROVERBS 16:32 (MSG)
Moderation is better than muscle,
self-control better than political power.

MATTHEW 5:9 (MSG)
Jesus: "You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family."

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Jesus' followers have a unique way of thinking about and utilizing power.

DAILY FODDER
How is the way that I utilize power different from the way the world typically functions?

PRAYER
God of peace, thank you for your words that bring me patience and calm me down. Forgive my judgmental attitudes and desires for revenge. Slow my anger, Lord, and fill me with your compassion. May your peace surround and control my words. May I act today to bless someone in need. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen.

DAILYTEXTS.ORG

*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)

EEB = EasyEnglish Bible (©2015, MissionAssist)

ERV = Easy-To-Read Version (©2006, World Bible Translation Center)

GNT = Good News Translation (©1992, American Bible Society)

MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)

NCB = New Catholic Bible (©2019 by Catholic Book Publishing Corp.)

NCV = New Century Version (©2005, Thomas Nelson Inc)

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)

NRSV = New Revised Standard Version (© 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.)

NTE = New Testament for Everyone (©2011 Nicolas Thomas Wright.)

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