August 25, 2016

Psalm 79:  8

Do not hold against us the sins of past generations;
    may your mercy come quickly to meet us,
    for we are in desperate need.

The Babylonians have ransacked Jerusalem. They killed all the King's heirs in front of him before blinding him and taking him away. No one wanted to hear what Jeremiah said. Now they are paying the price, but the Psalmist asks for deliverance. 

We, too, are in desperate need. The sins of previous generations haunt us too, along with our own selfish desires. We need to cry out to God for mercy. 

Prayer:  The need is great, Lord. Your people suffer from natural and man-made disasters. There is brokenness and hatred all over the Earth. Be with us, and deliver us from this evil. Forgive us our sins. We don't deserve it, but we know You can do it. 

Amen

August 22, 2016

Jeremiah 29:  11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

The Israelites have been unfaithful. Many have been taken to Babylon in captivity. They are reminded of the false prophets among them, and they are also reminded that they are still God's people. His plans for them remain good, even though they don't deserve that. 

I was struck immediately by these words. Yes, that's the God I know!  His plans are always good, even when we suffer. He knows how to get us through the tough times and how to get us back on the right path. 

Prayer:  Lord, I am guilty of so little faith at times. I know that I don't deserve Your plans for me, but I am so blessed that You are with me. I know that I only have to stay in touch with Your plans, and my life will prosper. I trust You with my future. 
Amen

August 13, 2016

John 15: 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 

Jesus is talking with his disciples. Earlier he washed their feet and talked about being a servant. Now he raises the level of discourse. They have learned all that he had to teach them before giving his life for them.

How sad. He has given them everything he intended to teach them, and his time on this Earth is nearly over. He is speaking his final words, with the full knowledge of how his death will affect him and his followers. I'm so sad for Jesus. 

Prayer:  Lord, we are unworthy of all You and Your son have endured from us. I'm guilty of many sins, and I am sorry for all the grief that I have caused. I'm blessed to have Your forgiveness. Thanks be to God. 
Amen

August 12, 2016

John 14:  27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Jesus is talking to the disciples. They won't be together much longer. He knows what will be happening, but they don't get it. 

It must have been so hard to spend those last minutes with the men he loved. Jesus knew that they were weak, that they would suffer, and that he left so much behind. He was obedient to God's will, unlike the rest of this world, and he did what he was destined to do. If only we could accept his words at face value, we would be transformed too. 

Prayer:  I am bogged down in this world, but I am trying to see things Your way. I will pray for the enlightenment that increased faith can bring me. I will struggle to find You in every part of every day I spend on Earth. Guide my spiritual journey. 
Amen

August 11, 2016

John 13:   16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 

Jesus has just washed his disciples' feet. Peter objected, but Jesus wants to make the point that no one is above serving others. And as his servants, they need to understand that he served them so that they would continue to serve after he was gone. There is nothing we could do for God that is beneath our dignity. 

It's an uphill battle to fight our sinful selves. We can do all the right things for the wrong reasons. We must stay humble, while we stand firm in our core beliefs. That's a tricky business. Ron questioned the altruism behind volunteering after a commercial for an award given on the local news. I was a bit shocked, and I wondered why these people were volunteering if not for good reasons. Ron said they might want the praise of others. Good point. I'm still thinking most volunteers are altruistic, but I understand that some may be motivated by sinful pride and need for affirmation. 

Prayer:  Lord, help me to become a more humble servant. I'm inclined to help, but let me see when my motivation is for my glory and not Yours. I know the desires of my heart aren't always in line with Your will. I confess my sins. Forgive me. 
Amen

August 10, 2016

John 12:  42 Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue

Jesus is making a final case for his ministry. He spoke of the relationship between himself and God. He tells of the judgment to come and of his desire to save the world. His words are compelling, but not more powerful than the authorities desire for approval from other people. 

It's a strange kind of faith that draws the line this way. They believe, but they don't have a grasp of the significance of their refusal to follow the one that they believe in. They are more attached to their fellowship in the synagogue than to the long term promise of eternal life. They really don't believe at all. 

Prayer:  I don't understand halfway faith, but maybe I practice it all too often. Help me to see when I choose the expedient answers from my environment over my faith in You. Guide me to live my daily life as You would like. Your will be done, not mine. 
Amen

August 8, 2016

John 10:  16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Jesus has really tried to explain himself to the Pharisees. He has told his story in terms of a flock of sheep, because this analogy is familiar to the Jews. The good shepherd is recognized by the flock, because he has been attentive to their needs above his own. 

This part is compelling:  all of God's people gathered together, listening to our Saviour. We understand that he has our backs, so we don't question his motivation. We just follow, and we find ultimate satisfaction. 

Prayer:  Lord, we are an unfaithful people. We need You, but we don't reach out to You. We try to solve our problems in a worldly way. That's unsatisfactory, but we still don't turn around to find You. Forgive us for our sins. 
Amen

August 7, 2016

John 9: 38 “Master, I believe,” the man said, and worshiped him.

This is near the end of the story of the blind beggar. Jesus healed him on the Sabbath, and the church leaders are saying that means he doesn't follow God.  They try to intimidate him and his parents into saying that Jesus didn't cure a man who was blind from birth. They succeed in cowing the parents, but the formerly blind man won't back down. Jesus came to him a second time, and he asked the man if he believed that Jesus was the Son of Man. This is his response. 

It's just amazing that leaders of a church are the last to see God's son for who he is. They may not worship Baal or a golden calf, but they sure don't connect with God. Their lives have been a waste of time at the best. How sad to live your life guided by a church, and to yet be unable or unwilling to follow its most basic precepts. The blind man has lived a life of begging, of being pitied or blamed for sins he never committed. But he knows the truth when he sees it.  

Prayer:  I don't want to be like these church people of Jesus's time, Lord. Help me to see the truth about Your will for me. I believe, and I worship You. I don't want anything else in my life to be more important than that. 
Amen

August 6, 2016

John 8: 19 They said, “Where is this so-called Father of yours?”
Jesus said, “You’re looking right at me and you don’t see me. How do you expect to see the Father? If you knew me, you would at the same time know the Father.”

Jesus is in the Temple. Church leaders are doing their best to make him say something that they can use against him. They are afraid that they will lose their prestigious positions. They want his ministry stopped. He tells them the truth, but they can't see that, because they are disconnected from God.

There are lots of reasons why people don't see God. In my case, it's usually about busy-ness. I don't find the time to focus on my faith. Others are depressed or angry. They block God with their emotional state. I'm sure that anyone who can connect with God will have a better life.

Prayer:  I am praying for all the people, myself included, who are disconnected from You, Lord. Help us to find You and all You can offer us. Show us how to be more faithful.
Amen

August 4, 2016

John 6: 29 Jesus said, “Throw your lot in with the One that God has sent. That kind of a commitment gets you in on God’s works.”

It's the day after the feeding of the 5000. Jesus didn't go with his disciples on the boat, but in the morning he was gone. The crowd piled into boats, and they found Jesus on the other side. He had walked on the water to get there. He told them that they weren't hungry for the word of God but for more free food. He explained how that's not what is important. Commitment to a life of faith is what matters. 

It's amazing to me to read how Jesus saw his mission. He was there to get the faith established in a way that would last until the end of time. Those of us who commit to follow him will be part of God's eternal plan. We follow God's will, and that secures our place in eternity. Wow. What a commitment it is. And what a payoff awaits!

Prayer:  I throw my life in with You, Lord. I know that You have all the answers. I choose to follow Your plan for me. You are the Almighty. I'm blessed that You chose me for a life of faith. 
Amen

August 2, 2016

John 4:  24 "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Jesus is talking to the Samaritan woman at the well. She asks him quite bold questions. She isn't anyone in power, but she has more spirituality than most of the Pharisees. Jesus tells her that salvation came from the Jews, but it's moving out into the world, to the kind of followers God seeks.

From The Message: 23-24 “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.”

Wow. I am so glad that I looked at the alternate translation. That rings so true to me. We have to be ourselves in worship. We don't come to God because of someone else's interpretation of what worship is. We bring our own authentic selves to God, because we are firm in our beliefs. We know His love, and we know how he loves our truest self. We adore Him, because He truly sees us and loves us despite our faults. 

Prayer:  Lord, help me to spend more time connected with You. I recognize that You are the only one who truly knows me. I am humbled that You love me anyway. I want my life on Earth to be spent walking beside You. I know that I will find my best life by staying closer to You. Thanks for all Your blessings. 
Amen