Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Micah 4:1‭-‬5.

In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. Peoples shall stream to it, and many nations shall come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all the peoples walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.

The prophet Micah tells the people of Israel that they have been chosen for a holy task. He writes “For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (v. 2). God’s people have been called to share His love with the world.

Many other cultures worshiped idols and multiple false gods. However, Abraham and his family worshiped God Almighty and He promised Abraham that through him and his descendants all nations would be blessed. This covenant leads the faithful people of Israel to later go in the name of Jesus to share God’s love with the world.

As we celebrate the coming of the Messiah, we must remember the call to spread the Gospel of Christ applies to us today as well. Jesus Himself gave us this blessing. Each of us is commissioned to go in His name to tell the Good News to everyone.

Gracious God, we are grateful for all Your gifts to us, none more important than our savior. Help us to live into the work You give, that through us all nations might be blessed. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:15-20‬.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Paul writes to remind the church at Colossae (and us) of Christ’s supremacy in all of creation. It seems strange that a baby born to a poor couple in a stable and later executed by the occupying Roman Empire could be the savior of the world. The saying “God works in mysterious ways” can have no better proof than this!

People have wrestled with the reality of Jesus since His birth. Why would God send His only son to the world in this way? God wanted us to choose to follow Him not because He is all powerful but because He loves us and wants our love in return.

Jesus came to be one of us, to live as we do and experience everything we do as humans. No matter what issues we bring, He can say truthfully and with love “Been there, done that”. God loves us so much He is willing to forgive all our sins when we come to Him in repentance and change our hearts and lives.

Gracious God, we are amazed at Your constant love and care for us. Help us to be strong in faith and share Your light with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 1:46‭-‬55.

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Mary is unique in scripture in that she accepts her role as God’s servant without reservation. She has questions when the angel Gabriel tells her what God has planned (Luke 1:26-38), but she responds to the Lord immediately. In this passage she visits her cousin Elizabeth and proclaims God’s greatness through these beautiful verses.

How do we respond to God’s call on our lives? Most of us have not received an angelic message as Mary did, but God speaks to us every day, through scripture and prayer, but also by showing us the needs of His world. Our reaction to these situations should be like Mary’s – immediate and thankful for the opportunity to serve.

We can’t solve all the world’s problems individually, that’s what we collectively as the body of Christ are charged to do. We must be involved both as persons and as the people of God. Jesus expects and deserves no less from us.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of our savior, Jesus Christ and for faithful servants willing to work to bring Your kingdom on earth. Help us to be strong in our faith and energetic in our work, that all may know Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Luke‬ ‭13:31-35‬.

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.’ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’

Jesus is warned (by some Pharisees of all people!) that King Herod is plotting to kill Him. He gives them a message for the king – “I’m busy with God’s work and then I’m leaving town to continue my ministry.” Jesus is unconcerned because He knows the Father’s plan.

God has shared His plan with us as well, through scripture and prophets who have told us of what is to come. We may not know all the details as Jesus does, but we have been given what we need to be His disciples. God wants us to accept the salvation He offers through Christ and choose to follow His ways.

As we celebrate Jesus coming to be with us, may we remember that He knew all along what God had in mind and He was obedient, even unto death. We may not know what tomorrow holds here on earth but we are promised that those who claim His name will be saved. May we be with the faithful at the last days, saying “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Gracious God, we are grateful for Your love and the gift of our savior, Christ the Lord. Bless us to be a blessing to others, sharing this precious gift with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 42:10‭-‬18.

Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth! Let the sea roar and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. Let the desert and its towns lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the tops of the mountains. Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare his praise in the coastlands. The Lord goes forth like a soldier, like a warrior he stirs up his fury; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes. For a long time I have held my peace, I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor, I will gasp and pant. I will lay waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbage; I will turn the rivers into islands, and dry up the pools. I will lead the blind by a road they do not know, by paths they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I will do, and I will not forsake them. They shall be turned back and utterly put to shame— those who trust in carved images, who say to cast images, “You are our gods.” Listen, you that are deaf; and you that are blind, look up and see!

There are passages like this one from Isaiah that sound very much like Psalms. It is a song of praise to the Lord, but also a warning regarding our belief in Him. God gives His promise to the faithful, declaring “I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground” (v. 16).

God tells us He will lead us through the difficult times we face because He loves us. His care for us is constant, even when our faith wavers. If we trust in His goodness and power, nothing can harm our souls.

The hymn A Mighty Fortress is our God tells us “the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still”. God’s plan is unaffected by our failure, just as when evil people tried to stop it by crucifying Jesus. When we turn to Him in faith, with a “new song” as Isaiah writes, our salvation is assured and we can rejoice in life everlasting.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we have fallen away. Thank You for Your forgiveness and may we go in Your name to share Your love with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Jeremiah 31:31‭-‬34.

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

The Lord speaks to the people He loves through the prophet Jeremiah, telling them that even though they have broken the covenant, He is still their God. He loves us so much and is willing to forgive our sin, and continue the relationship for which He created us. We are blessed to have another opportunity to live as the people of God.

He tells us that “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts” (v. 33). This means the very word of God resides in us, part of our being. Jesus came to teach and save us. Later, the Holy Spirit came to be with us to guard and guide us.

God wants us all to be connected, to Him and to each other. Only by following the example He gave us in Jesus can we be forgiven and saved. We are all blessed to be His children and promised eternal life through His love.

Gracious God, we are grateful for Your everlasting love and care for us. Help us to know Your word within us and live as Jesus taught us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭11:1-9‬.

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

This prophecy from Isaiah shares God’s promise of a leader to come from the royal family of David, son of Jesse. He is described as wise, knowing the will and word of the Lord, and that He will judge the world righteously. The promise of the Messiah has been with us always, whether we have recognized it or not.

This passage also tells us that the relationship between man and beast will return to the way it was at creation, that no human or animal will harm each other. God wanted all of His creatures to live together in harmony, but when sin entered the world through human selfishness this relationship was broken. When the Messiah comes in glory, all these relationships will be restored.

If we will live in peace with the beasts, how much more will our connection to our brothers and sisters be restored? God intends for us to be one family in His kingdom. The return of Jesus will renew our relationship with God and each other, and we will live together with Him eternally.

Loving Lord, thank You for the beauty of Your creation and all its wonder. Bless us to use it wisely for the good of all Your children, living together according to Your plan. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Acts 28:23‭-‬31.

They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: “ ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

This passage tells us how Paul lived out the last days before his execution, doing what he had done every day since the Lord appeared to him and changed his life. While he is a prisoner of the Roman Empire, he is still advancing the kingdom of God. Paul is our example for faithful witnessing, even when we face difficult trials in our lives.

It is unlikely that many of us will be in such circumstances for our faith. How much more then should we be active messengers of the love of God to all! We have the ability to go and do as we wish in most cases, so we have no excuse not to share the Good News.

We may think that the task of spreading the Gospel falls only to a select few, but Jesus called everyone to be active in the work of the kingdom, that we may make disciples of all the world. Each of us are created in God’s image, and charged with sharing that connection. As children of the Living God it is our blessing to tell others about His plan of salvation for us all.

Loving Lord, we are amazed and humbled that You make us part of Your work. Bless us to be faithful followers and examples, that all the world may hear Your word. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 12:2‭-‬6.

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

The prophet Isaiah had much to say to the people of Israel, warning them of the consequences of sin and falling away, but also the joy of a connection to God. He reminds them that God is there for us and in Him we can “trust and not be afraid” (v. 2). This relationship with Him is the only way we can be saved.

God’s intent is that we all be connected to Him as His children, caring for each other as He cares for us. God created us as a family and wants us to live together in peace, sharing His love and the gifts He has provided us. We acknowledge Him as our Lord and Father when we give Him praise and worship.

What gifts has God given you to be used to care for His creation? We are all called to be responsible members of His family, sharing the Good News with everyone. God has blessed each one of us with abilities and resources to be used wisely.

Gracious God, we give You praise for all Your wonderful works. Thank You for calling us to be part of Your plan for salvation. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is ‭‭Luke‬ ‭3:7-18.

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

John the Baptist is plain spoken about the coming Messiah and our reaction to that gift. We must recognize Him, change our hearts and lives and be responsible members of our human community and God’s kingdom. There will be a reckoning for all and He will judge who has obeyed His commandments.

John isn’t out to scare anyone into behaving, he is merely telling us the truth about Christ’s coming to be with us for a time and His return in power and glory at the last day. He answers the people honestly when they ask what they should do – share with those in need, don’t cheat, don’t bully. John doesn’t go into deep theological concepts, he just tells it like it is.

Jesus came to show us God’s love and how we are to live for Him. John tells us how we can be faithful followers of Jesus and help to change the lives of others by testifying to our faith. We have received an invitation to salvation, we must accept that gift and share it with the world.

Loving Lord, thank You for our savior, Jesus Christ. Help us to follow His example, and be eager witnesses to Your coming kingdom. Amen.

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