Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 19:23-26.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Jesus speaks here about those who have much and how hard it is for some of them to let go. He doesn’t say that wealth is evil, but that some become more attached to their possessions than to the promise of eternal life God offers. Everything is a gift from Him and we are meant to use it wisely for the good of everyone.

When we rely on our “own” resources we often miss the lesson and the task God has for us. We must realize that nothing is really ours, all we have is made by His hand, we are merely the grateful recipients. We are given skills and resources to carry out the mission God has for each of us. 

Part of that mission is discovering and meeting the needs of others, and that involves relationship. We can’t know the needs of others unless we know them! Jesus teaches that  “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Our relationship with God enables us to relate to each other in love, and to share the gifts we have been given.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times that things are more important to us than our connection to You and Your children. Forgive us and give us new energy to care for Your creation and each other. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is James 1:12-14.

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.

God made us in His own image but gave us the right to decide our thoughts and actions for ourselves. Anything else would be slavery and God is the ultimate freedom. He wants us to choose the right things for the right reasons.

God has spoken to some personally and to all of us through His word. We must learn the lessons He teaches and embrace the love He offers us. We can’t do it on our own, only a connection to Him can save us.

Sin came into the world because we chose badly. God has a plan to remedy that but we must be the ones to turn from evil and ask forgiveness. God is waiting patiently for our return to Him.

Gracious God, we are sorry for our failure to love and act as You intend. Wash us clean and send us to share Your love and light everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Colossians 3:23-25.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.

Paul writes this instruction for all of us, no matter what our occupation or social status. It is encouragement for our relationship with God and a warning that no one is above His judgement. Regardless of our position in society, we are all God’s children – no more and no less.

Brother Lawrence, a 17th century friar wrote down his experience of “practicing the presence of God”, his simple way of being in constant connection with the Lord, no matter what he was doing. Paul tells us “Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). In this way our work can become worship.

We must remember that our true inheritance is from the Lord and nothing we have here will follow us to eternity but our faith. God has things for us to do to help others find their way to Him. If we are working for His glory rather than our own earthly enrichment, we can be truly blessed.

Loving Lord, we are humbled that You call us to be part of Your kingdom work. Still us and fill us, mend us and send us that all may know Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 11:1-3.

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Everything that exists was created by and according to God’s word. Nothing is out there that God didn’t make. Sadly, we have misused many of His gifts. Genesis records the original sin of people and all the further disobedience that came afterward.

However, this passage speaks of a confident faith, that the God who created everything made us for a reason. We must stay connected to Him and one another in order to discover and fulfill the purpose He has for each of us. It has never been an easy thing, it requires us to trust Him when we don’t see the reason or the way.

God is there for us and He responds, not always in the manner or on the schedule we expect. We don’t have the whole picture as He does and it requires us to live for the “things we cannot see.” Faith is something we are called to live out and can then share with our brothers and sisters through the love God first gave us.

Loving Lord, we ask Your forgiveness for our failings. Help us to be Your people, aware of our gifts and the needs of the world. Bless us to go in Your name to spread the Gospel. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 20:7-8.

Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God. Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.

In the days of King David, “nations boast of their chariots and horses” as a way of expressing pride in their society. It was to tell others how powerful they were and where they put their faith. It is a sad statement that we still do this two thousand years later.

The psalmist sings “we boast in the name of the Lord our God”. This statement is echoed in Jeremiah 9:24 and 1 Corinthians 1:31. Scripture repeatedly tells us we are nothing without God’s strength and if there is any boast, it should be only about His love for us.

We haven’t gotten to this point yet unfortunately. We still raise our voices against one another, using God’s gifts to hurt rather than help. The psalmist foretells what awaits those who do not revere God: “Those nations will fall down and collapse”. It doesn’t have to be this way. God is patiently waiting for each of us to return to His love and go share it with the world.

Gracious God, we are sorry for our pride and disobedience. Help us to see Your plan for all creation and be part of what You are doing. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Jeremiah 17:7-8.

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

Jeremiah is sometimes called the “Weeping Prophet” because He was tasked to bring Israel warnings from God about their disobedience. However, this passage brings a message of hope, that those who make God the center of their lives will be equipped and prepared for the things we face here. 

God is the one who made everything we experience, down to our own physical bodies and our very existence. With His help we are able to continue what we have been called to do. Trying to do it alone is almost always a recipe for failure. God has gifted us with many skills and talents but they are fueled (as are we) by His love.

When we make “the Lord our hope and confidence” we are part of a larger system, connected with Him and our brothers and sisters. This is the joy of how we are made, intended to be in relationship. These are the roots Jeremiah teaches us, trusting that God has a plan for each of us individually and all of us as His children.

Gracious God, You have given us wonderful things to be used for the benefit of Your people. Help us to care for Your creation, but especially one another. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Paul uses the same techniques Jesus did to help people understand God’s plan and our call to be part of it. He explains the value of the eternal prize we are promised versus temporary pleasures here on earth. He uses the analogy of discipline as an athlete and faithful obedience as a Christian. We are not just going through the motions, we are fully engaged mentally, physically and spiritually.

It takes practice to participate in athletic competition and it requires the same level of daily dedication to follow Jesus. We stretch ourselves through prayer and the word, join with our team of fellow Christians in worship and go into the world we have been given to share God’s love. Unlike sporting events, we are all on the same team even if we have different skills and assignments.

Paul encourages us to “fight the good fight” (1 Timothy 6:12), with the reminder it is not each other we are opposing. We must use the gifts we have been given to stand with Christ against evil. We have a responsibility to learn and grow in His love and to reach out to the world that all may know Him.

Loving Lord, You have blessed us with a wonderful world. Forgive us for our selfish actions and help us to be Your hands and Your face to all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Ephesians 3:19-21.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

In this passage Paul prays for the spiritual growth of his congregation. He wants us to feel Christ’s love for us “though it is too great to understand fully.” Just because we don’t know everything about it doesn’t mean we aren’t blessed by it. Sometimes our desire to “know” is a desire to control. Paul tells us to let God work in us and through us, not worrying if we know everything about how it works.

God sent His love to us in human form through Jesus. He wanted us to know that love in person, to experience it and live it, not just “know” about it. We miss the full blessing when we turn it into an academic exercise rather than a relationship.

God has given us His word and His presence from the very beginning. When Jesus came to be with us, that love took human form that we might not just hear the teaching, but see it through His actions. We are called to share His lessons and His love, that all may be made whole through Him.

Gracious God, You sent Your love to us in Your son, Jesus Christ. Help us to share that love with all Your children everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Joshua 1:7-8.

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

The opening of Joshua finds the children of Israel at the edge of the Promised Land. Moses is very old and God has chosen a new leader to replace him. They face the next task uncertainly, concerned for what lies ahead and untested human leadership.

It’s easy for us to shake our heads and ask why were they worried? God had brought them out of captivity, through forty years in the desert and now they were on the brink of their goal. All this time God had been teaching them to trust Him, and as soon as human leadership changes they are in disarray again.

We are still the same unfortunately. We look in all directions for someone to solve our problems when the One who can help and save us is always present. God has given us the “Book of Instruction” to teach us our relationship with Him and our responsibility to one another. We need God in our lives as individuals and to be together as His people.

Heavenly Father, help us to see that in spite of our own selfish ways, You are in control. We are sorry for our disobedience and ask Your forgiveness. Bless us to be Your light and love in our world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 12:1-2.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

While scholars debate whether this letter was actually written by Paul, we can see his lessons in what is written here. Paul used the example of a runner in 2 Timothy 4:7, saying “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” This agrees completely with the first verse of this passage, reminding us to look to our ancestors of the faith and to be an example for those who come after us.

The crowd of witnesses the letter refers to are the examples we are to follow. David sings in Psalms 16:3 “The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!” People of faith can be an inspiration to all around them. As Christians we need to be aware the world is watching!

Pastor and author Eugene Petersen asks of our faith journey “Are we pilgrims or merely tourists?” If we are just here for the main points and pictures, we are not likely to get it. God wants all of us collectively and all of us as individuals. When we give our lives to Him, He can use our faith in marvelous ways.

Gracious God, we are thankful for those who have gone before, showing us the way. May we be pilgrims and an example to those yet to come. Amen.