Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 9:6-7 (RSV).

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

The prophet Isaiah gives an amazing description of the child who is born to save us. He shares the promise God has made for justice and righteousness. Later, he tells us the price to be paid for our salvation: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

Jesus knew from the beginning what He was born to do, later confirmed by God Himself saying “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). He was completely faithful in His mission to bring us the Good News, preaching “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).

The apostle Paul writes of Jesus “For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:19-20). Jesus gave Himself up for us, we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20) and it is a debt we can never repay.

Loving Lord, we are ashamed of the times we have gone astray, ignoring Your word and not loving one another as You taught. Forgive us and send us in Your name that all the world may know the joy of salvation in You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Micah 5:2 (RSV).

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.

This passage, repeated in Matthew 2:6, indicates how God’s plan for salvation is to be put into action. It is God’s promise to His people that though they have turned from Him they are not forgotten. He will act, in His time and in a way that no one expects.

Throughout history God has consistently chosen the underdog, the one overlooked by the world because of their status or origin. God doesn’t consider these things when He chooses someone as His representative. In 1 Samuel 16:7 we read “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

We need to see ourselves in this choosing of the unexpected. God has a plan for each one of us and calls us to be part of the work to accomplish it. We must realize that this work doesn’t earn us a place in eternity, but rather is our response to the greatest gift ever given – Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Heavenly Father, we don’t always see things the way You do. Help us to look at each other with Your love, recognizing our differences but knowing in Your eyes we are all Your beloved children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 7:14 (RSV).

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanu-el.

The prophet Isaiah offered these words some 600 years before the birth of Jesus. In Isaiah we find many references pointing to Christ’s coming. Passages from Isaiah are quoted frequently in the New Testament, as this is in Matthew 1:23: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanu-el (which means, God with us).”

One reference that points to Jesus bringing us the Good News is found in Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives.” This is the scripture Jesus reads in the Temple in Luke 4:14-21, and He says to the people “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 

God has told us of His plan for our salvation throughout history. The academic analysis is interesting, but more important is our faith in His promise to us. God wants us to know His love, shown by the gift and example of our Savior and spread the Good News everywhere.

Loving Lord, we are amazed at what You are willing to do to save us from our sin. Bless us to accept the love You send and share it with all our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Jeremiah 23:5-6 (RSV).

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

I had to double check that I wasn’t repeating the scripture from yesterday – this passage from Jeremiah echoes Isaiah 11:1-2 which was written approximately 150 years earlier. Both of them received the word of God regarding the coming of the Messiah from the line of David. He would be a king by His lineage, but a different kind of king, unlike any the world had ever seen before.

Many expected one “like” David, a mighty warrior who would fight against their oppressors. People still didn’t understand that the ultimate oppressor is the one who leads us away from a relationship with God and His chosen Messiah. Our own sin and our failure to trust in the Lord are what continue to oppress us.

The reign of God’s promised king isn’t based on power, wealth, or territory and isn’t limited by any of these earthly things. The Messiah is king over all that is! His conquering power comes through God’s love and care for us, shown by His life, death and resurrection. This is true saving power: our sins can be forgiven and we are called to be part of His kingdom work.

Gracious God, forgive us for our selfishness, thinking we can save ourselves. Bless us to live in Your love and share it with all of Your children everywhere. Amen.

This Advent I’m rediscovering the Revised Standard Version, which was the first Bible I was given as a third grader and used in church for many years. It is a revision of the American Standard Version which came from the King James Version. The language is older but still speaks to me, especially beautiful and familiar Christmas passages.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 11:1-2 (RSV).

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Isaiah had a difficult task: to convince the people of their sin and turn them back toward God, but also to comfort and assure them that God still loved them. This is an issue we continue to face today, our recurring sin and God’s constant love for us no matter what.

This promise of a Messiah from the line of David gave hope to the people of that time. Jesus came to share God’s love and teach us to do the same. He showed us “the spirit of wisdom and understanding” and called us into His service.

The Lord Himself tells us “I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star” (Revelation 22:16). We can rely on His love and care for us as we show our brothers and sisters the same love and care He gives us all.

Loving Lord, You came to save us from our sin and teach us that we are all worthy to be called God’s children. Help us to share the joy we know in Your coming to be with us, and live together as You have taught us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Jeremiah 33:14-15 (RSV).

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring forth for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

As we have heard, Jesus was never Plan B. In this passage from the prophet Jeremiah we hear God’s continuing promise to His people. They had turned away from the Lord and both Judah and Israel fell to foreign invaders. However, God did not forget or abandon them.

Jeremiah writes of the Savior to come from the line of David. From the very beginning God knew His children’s weaknesses and stood ready to lead them back to Himself in love. While we may ignore the commandments we have been given, God never ignores us.

God has made covenants with His people throughout history that we may know Him and believe in His love for us. Jesus Himself gives us the Good News that “the kingdom of Heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). He also tells us “For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17). Jesus is our only way to be saved, may we celebrate His coming by sharing His love with everyone.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to redeem us from our sin. Forgive us and bless us to go in His name to bring Your love to all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 40:3 (NKJV).

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

I have a personal connection to this scripture – it is part of the text for the opening tenor solo of “The Messiah” that I have sung many times. The full passage speaks of God’s care and comfort for His people and our responsibility to “prepare the way of the Lord”. God loved us so much He sent His Son, a part of Himself, to be with us and show us the way to salvation.

This scripture was written to a people who had suffered the loss of their land and their freedom to a foreign oppressor. God was still with them and promised there would be a Savior to redeem them. While the Lord works on His own timeline, His word is our ultimate security.

Our call is no different than it was to the people centuries ago: “make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Jesus came to save us and make us part of the kingdom work. In Matthew 5:14 He tells us we are “the light of the world.” Let us go in His name with the light of our faith burning brightly!

Gracious God, we are humbled and amazed that You call us to be part of what You are doing in creation. Bless us to be light bearers in a dark world that desperately needs Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 3:16 (NLT).

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Most people are familiar with the Gospel of John 3:16 “For God so loved the world…”. However, The First Letter of John 3:16 gives us another look at the fact that Jesus “gave up His life for us.” We know of course that He died on the cross for us, but that was only part of His sacrifice for us.

Jesus gave up His life in Heaven to come to earth to be with us. Jesus gave up a life with His earthly family to accomplish the mission God gave Him. Jesus came to share God’s love and left us with the commission to carry on His work, telling everyone what He has done for us.

When we read “So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters” it reminds us that we are called to make the same sacrifices that Jesus did on a daily basis. Does this mean physically dying for our brothers and sisters? It can, as we see in the martyrs throughout history who faced death rather than deny their faith. More often it means laying down our daily burdens and distractions to show God’s love to one another in ways that bless us both.

Loving Lord, we are often so wrapped up in our own lives that we ignore the needs of others. Help us to see past our own issues and feelings to truly love one another as You have taught us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 13:34-35 (NLT).

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Jesus says He is giving us a new commandment, to love one another. That part is not new, going back as far as the time of the Exodus: “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18). However, He adds to this “as I have loved you”. 

While this doesn’t change the intent of the commandment, it amplifies the response expected of us. To love one another as Jesus has loved us is a huge thing. It means not merely tolerating each other and avoiding open conflict, but to make ourselves aware of what is going on in the lives of our brothers and sisters.

Christian author Brennan Manning writes “we must discover why our enemy cries.” If we are to love one another as He first loved us, we must be aware of the needs and fears each other face. This sharing is what builds a community that loves God and each other as Jesus taught us.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved through Your Son. Help us to see all Your children as family and love them the way Jesus showed us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 22:36-40 (NLT).

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

While those who asked this question had a devious purpose (trying to trap Jesus by His response), He turned the situation around on them and taught them about priorities. Loving God is the most important thing and loving each other right behind it. Bishop Scott Jones used to call this “keeping the main thing the main thing”, something humans are not always careful about.

Christian author Brennan Manning says we become like the Pharisees who questioned Jesus when we “make the secondary primary and the primary secondary.” Following the rules without love for God or one another does not enrich our spirit or bring us closer to salvation. Without love, the rules are merely checklists to complete.

If we concentrate on loving and sharing God’s word, we can avoid the lure of worldly things that lead us astray. My faith phrase is “love God, love neighbor, make disciples”, a combination of the Greatest Commandment and the Great Commission. We need to focus on what is important and not be distracted from our call.

Loving Lord, help us to see what is truly important in Your kingdom, our connection to You and each other. Bless us to be energetic disciples, sharing Your love and light with the world. Amen.