Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Luke 6:32-36.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Jesus explains how we are called to be different, loving without any expectation of return. He has shown us the example of selfless love; we are to love one another because God first loved us. This is the Greatest Commandment – Matthew 22:37-40.

When we do something for someone but want something back, it is a human transaction. Jesus asks us flatly “what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same”. When we follow His teachings, we do things based on God’s love for us rather than earthly gain.

Jesus wants us to watch over each other in love, sharing the blessings we have been given. We know we can’t earn our way into eternal life, but accepting Christ’s sacrifice and living in connection with God assures us of salvation. May we go to love the world as Jesus does.

Merciful God, we are amazed that You are willing to forgive us our sins and bring us back to a loving relationship with You. Bless us to be energetic servants, sharing the joy we have found through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 7:7-8.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

In this passage Jesus teaches about being persistent – we are to ask, seek and knock in order to receive God’s blessing. This is not to say we need to beg God who withholds things but rather we must be intentional in connecting with Him. God wants to give us good gifts but we must choose to be in a relationship with Him.

Jesus is telling us we need to stay in touch with God and prayer is the way to accomplish that. The apostle Paul told us to “always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. God knows everything about each of us, but He wants us to come to Him in prayer to share it with Him in person.

This doesn’t mean God gives us everything we want. Sometimes we pursue things that are harmful and God grieves when we choose wrongly. By being connected to Him through prayer and following the path Jesus showed us, we can avoid falling into sin and know His will for our lives.

Loving Lord, we know You want only the best for us. Help us to curb our selfishness, loving You and each other in all things. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 9:35-38.

Then Jesus went throughout all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

Jesus shows us a ministry of action. He goes to the people, not expecting them to come to Him (although they often do). He teaches and heals them. Jesus sees the image of God in everyone, and the potential we have as God’s children.

Jesus knows that we are frail and foolish on our own, “like sheep without a shepherd”. He came to be our Good Shepherd, leading us to salvation and eternal life. However, in His mercy and wisdom, He asked us to be part of the process.

He likens the world to a field ready for harvest. He sees the problem of scarcity, not in the crop but in the number of workers willing to do the task: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”. Jesus called all of us to a new life in Him and to be His disciples, sharing the Good News everywhere.

Loving Lord, thank You for the gift of Your son that we might be saved. Help us to do as He commanded, to make disciples of all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Galatians 5:13-16.

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.

Paul reminds us that freedom doesn’t mean we can do anything we want, rather it allows us to love and serve one another. Unfortunately, we often see the freedom we have been given used in harmful ways toward our brothers and sisters. Paul warns “if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another”.

It seems sadly easy for us to abuse our freedom. We say false and hurtful things about each other, not remembering Christ’s command to “love your neighbor as yourself”. I’ve heard it said there’s a big “I” in the middle of sin, a reminder that we often fall into evil when we put ourselves first.

He tells us to”live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh”. Because God gave us free will, we are responsible for our choices and behavior. He sent the Holy Spirit to help guide us in His love that we might share it with the world.

Gracious God, You sent Jesus to save us from our sin and show us the way to eternal life. Bless us to go in Your name, sharing the Good News with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 77:7-12.

I asked, “Will the Lord reject me forever? Will he never again show me his favor? Has his loyal love disappeared forever? Has his promise failed forever? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has his anger stifled his compassion?” Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought that the sovereign One might become inactive. I will remember the works of the Lord. Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago! I will think about all you have done; I will reflect upon your deeds!

Psalms display the entire range of human emotions as we reach out to God. We read of anger, confusion and fear but also praise, hope and joy. These expressions of our innermost feelings are prayers lifted in song, essential to our connection with God.

In this passage we hear many questions from the psalmist about God’s attention to us. After sharing these concerns, the psalmist reminds us that God will never ignore or abandon us, “that the sovereign One might become inactive”. When we remember the wonderful things He has done for us, we are amazed and comforted.

God’s love and care for us is unending. Even when we are challenged by the things of the world and make wrong choices, He is there for us. May we go to share His love with all of His children everywhere.

Heavenly Father, we come to You in our brokenness, seeking Your love to repair us. Send us into Your world that we might make a difference. Amen.

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

Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not for people, because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ. For the one who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there are no exceptions.

Paul has words of encouragement for our labors, whatever that might be. He tells us to work “as to the Lord and not for people”, reminding us that we are ultimately responsible to God. While we work here to provide for ourselves and family, the results are only temporary.

We need to focus on our “inheritance from the Lord” that is eternal. Material things here will not follow us to Heaven, and we will find more of value there than we can humanly imagine. Jesus tells us “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” – Matthew 6:21.

Still Paul teaches us to work enthusiastically as Christians, always giving our best. It is our call from Christ Himself to love one another, and doing less then we could denies that love. Jesus gave His all for us, and we can do no less for Him.

Gracious God, you have gifted us with the capability to do good things in the world. May we be energetic and honest in our work and diligent in our discipleship. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 1:29-34.

On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’ I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.” Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining – this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God.

I remember singing an anthem with my choir as a teen called “Heralds of Christ” (and if anyone from the Omaha St. Paul Youth Choir of the 70s is still out there, bless you!) This is John’s gift and his task, to point people to Jesus. If we listen carefully, it is our task as well.

When God sent Jesus He used angels to tell Mary and Joseph and later sent angels to the shepherds and a star to the wise men. For everyone else, He sent John the Baptist, a voice crying in the wilderness “Prepare the way of the Lord!” Scripture says of John “He himself was not the light, but he came to testify about the light” – John 1:8. This statement applies to all of us, we are here to testify to others about the light.

This is the ultimate “it’s not about us” statement, but it’s only because of us that Jesus came to earth. We were lost in sin with no hope of saving ourselves. Jesus came to love and save and free us and now we go in His name to share the Good News.

Loving Lord, we are thankful for the greatest gift of all, Your son Jesus Christ. Bless us to carry Your love to all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 2:5-11.

You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature. He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross! As a result God exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Paul had been a Pharisee and an aggressive persecutor of the early church. Jesus changed his life and Paul went on to bring the same fire to his discipleship. In this passage he calls us to remember the divine sacrifice Jesus made to come to be one of us, and the human sacrifice He suffered in our place.

Paul speaks an eternal truth here: “at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father”. After His resurrection Jesus tells us “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). God’s plan of salvation has always been in place, Jesus came to show us the way.

Jesus was willing to give it all up that we might be saved. What are we willing to give up for Him? He taught us that loving God and each other was the starting point, letting go of the self centered lives we were leading, and going to share God’s love everywhere.

Gracious God, we are ashamed of the way we behave and we are amazed at Your love for us, willing to wash us clean and take us back. Bless us to be Your redeemed children and send us to tell the Good News to all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 7:7-12.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.

Jesus teaches us to be patient and persistent, that we must ask, seek and knock. He uses human examples we can understand to explain that God has wonderful gifts for us, but we must go to Him in order to receive them and use them wisely. The rest of the lesson is that we must “treat others as you would want them to treat you”.

This “Golden Rule” is a way of turning the situation around. What if we were the one who had been wronged – wouldn’t we want the other to apologize, ask forgiveness and make amends? Now the other side – if we had harmed someone, wouldn’t we want forgiveness and reconciliation? This is what God calls us to in our relationship with Him and each other.

The focus of all the lessons Jesus gives is us, God’s beloved children. I once heard it said that we are the reason God gets up every morning. He wants us to be connected to Him and each other in love, sharing the gifts we are given for the good of all.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the ways we treat each other, ignoring the commandment to love one another. Strengthen us in faith and send us to share Your love in amazing ways. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 27:11-14.

Teach me how you want me to live; lead me along a level path because of those who wait to ambush me! Do not turn me over to my enemies, for false witnesses who want to destroy me testify against me. Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience the Lord’s favor in the land of the living? Rely on the Lord! Be strong and confident! Rely on the Lord!

David asks God to teach him how to live according to His law and for protection from his enemies. While our immediate situation may not be life or death, God is always ready to hear and help us. He wants us to trust in His goodness and know He loves us.

David refers back to what God told Joshua before leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land: “I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do” (Joshua 1:9). This is God’s blessing, His presence with us every day, that we are not alone in the world. Our task is to believe His promise and press on in faith.

Relying on God also requires being patient. Waiting on the Lord means we trust Him and His timing over our own. The world needs His love and we have been called to share it with everyone. God doesn’t need our help, but has asked us to be part of His saving work. May we be strong and confident as we go in His name.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your presence and guidance in our lives. Help us to show Your love to all Your children. Amen.