Category: Daily Prayer

Our epistle this week is 1 Corinthians 6:12-20.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Paul warns the church at Corinth about the dangers of immorality, that by focusing on our desire we are led away from God’s desire for us. He reminds them that we were created to be connected with God and that sins of the flesh diminish our relationship. This may seem outdated in our society today where everything from news stories to product advertising are provocative, intended to make us react.

However, God’s intent since our creation has never changed and Paul’s warning for us is still as important as ever. It teaches that we are selfish to put our gratification above the needs of others and God’s call on our lives. In this vain attempt to be happy and fulfilled, we miss the joy God made us to experience.

Look for what will bring eternal happiness, not the temporary and unsatisfying human things we are offered. God wants to give us the most wonderful gifts but we must be willing to accept them. We waste our time and energy searching for anything else.

Gracious God, we are sorry when worldly things and issues distract us from following You. Forgive us and help us to see Your love is more important than all the things earth can provide. Amen.

Our Old Testament scripture reading for this week is 1 Samuel 3:1-10.

The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am. ”And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel! ” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

Hearing God’s call in our lives is a wonderful thing. God calls each of us to a relationship with Him and assigns us responsibility accordingly. However, we must listen for His voice and be ready to respond, taking our place in His plan for creation.

Samuel was responding to the priest Eli, believing the call came from him, when in fact God Himself spoke. After he was instructed, he answered the Lord “Speak, for your servant is listening”. Sometimes we need instruction as well to be able to hear and answer appropriately.

People say “I wish God would speak directly to me” but make no effort to go to Him or listen patiently. If we expect a text message with a list of instructions, we are liable to be disappointed. While God has given us specific guidance through His chosen servants and His word in scripture, it is up to us to hear the message and accept the task.

Loving Lord, help us to seek Your word and do Your will. May we listen and respond enthusiastically when You call. Amen.

Psalm 139:1-6 is our first reading this week.

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

God knows us better than we know ourselves because He is our creator. That is difficult for us to understand and accept; as the Psalmist writes “such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain”. Perhaps there are things we’d rather keep hidden – from the world and from God.

God wants us to have no secrets from Him and no reason for such secrets. He knows us thoroughly, what we want and what we need, which are often two very different things. How will we know? We must ask Him.

Knowing God is the way to better know ourselves. Spending time sharing with Him leads us closer to the purpose for which we are made. When we understand and follow the call God has placed on our lives, we find our wants and needs become one, and we are satisfied in Him.

Loving Lord, in You we find our reason for being. Help us to hear Your voice in our lives that we may be Your people, sharing Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Mark 1:9-14, taken today from the English Standard Version (ESV).

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him; and a voice came from the heavens: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” And immediately the Spirit brought Him out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving Him.

Jesus came to show how much God loves us and how being connected to Him is the only way to salvation. In John 14:6 He tells us “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” While God reaches out to us in love, it is up to us to say “Yes Lord!” and respond in obedience.

Jesus demonstrated that responsibility by being baptized and enduring the trial in the desert. He didn’t need to repent or to prove His relationship with the Father to anyone, but He did it to give us an example to follow. He was willing to be as human as we are that we might understand the blessing we are offered.

Jesus wants us to be the example as well, turning away wrath with soft words and loving our enemies. We are called to be the children of the light and bearers of the Good News. It isn’t always easy and while our world has changed in some ways, God’s love and His commandments have not.

Gracious God, we are not always the examples we want to be. Help us when anger and frustration threaten to overcome us, remind us of our obligation to You and each other, and put our feet back on the path You intend for us. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Mark 1:9-13, taken today from the New King James Version (NKJV).

It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.

The scripture tells us “the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness” (v. 13), but we know that faith is never forced upon us. Instead, we must accept His will and act from obedience and love. Jesus had such a close relationship with God that it was impossible for Him not to do what the Heavenly Father asked.

We need to understand that while Jesus was in fact God with us, He was also fully human, capable of putting His own will ahead of God’s plan if He chose to do so. However, unlike us, Jesus never acted from a selfish desire, showing us that God’s way is always better than ours. He is our savior, teacher, and example.

While we can never be perfect as Jesus is, we can strive to be like Him and show the world God’s love by doing His will. While obedience to God means yielding our human desires to Him, it is out of His love for us that we are saved. We pray as Jesus taught us “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.

Loving Lord, we are often willful people, doing what we want rather than what You call us to do. Forgive our blind disobedience and lead us to Your salvation. Amen.

I’ve had a request to try something different. In my two churches we use a guide to weekly scripture known as the Revised Common Lectionary that provides a Psalm, Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel reading in accordance with the liturgical season. I was asked if I could use each of them during the week for this devotional and I think it’s a good idea. Beginning Monday 1/11 we’ll cover each of these in order through the week. You can find the list of lectionary readings on the web at https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu.

Our Gospel scripture this week is Mark 1:9-13, taken today from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him; and a voice came from the heavens: “ You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” And immediately the Spirit brought Him out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving Him.

It seems we have all been in a desert place with everything that has happened recently. We hear of the virus that has infected our world, we read news stories that upset us and we see a growing separation between people. It is a difficult time, and if we put our trust in our own strength, we will surely fail.

Jesus likely had similar feelings during His time in the desert. He was hungry and thirsty, pressed upon by Satan. In Matthew’s description of this event, the devil quotes scripture to Jesus, but with the emphasis on human desires rather than God’s true word (Matthew 4:6). Satan knows scripture and tries to use it to trick us into disbelieving God.

During these trying times we need to be especially careful not to be led astray by false application of scripture. Listen for God’s voice, not that of humans, and remember how Christ met every challenge through prayer and faith.

Loving Lord, we feel a desperate sense of being alone in our world. Help us to know Your presence and Your will for us, even when times are hard. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Mark 1:9-13, taken today from the Christian Standard Bible (CSB).

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. As soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.” Immediately the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving him.

Why would God send His Son into the wilderness to be “tempted by Satan”? (v 13). I don’t think Jesus needed to prove anything to God, but perhaps Satan (and people) needed to see for themselves what He was all about. Jesus was human in every way and this was the same kind of testing humans faced from worldly issues.

In other accounts of this event, specifically Matthew 4:1-11, we hear Satan challenging Jesus over hunger, power and God’s care. These are all things we encounter on a regular basis and without spiritual strength, we may fall into the trap! God wanted to teach us that through faith we can stand against the evil of the world.

God was with Jesus during His testing and He is with us as well. There are difficult issues ahead, and there always will be. We are not promised an easy time and the pitfalls of sin are always there, but we can count on our Heavenly Father to be there, too.

Gracious God, we are weak when we try to do it alone, but strong when our hope is in You. May our faith show others the joy of a relationship with You. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Mark 1:9-13, taken today from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

This passage tells us that Jesus was baptized just as we are, what some call “an outward sign of an inward change”. Jesus certainly didn’t need to change His behavior or belief as humans do when we repent and seek forgiveness, but He accepted His baptism as an example for us. Everything Jesus said and did was to show God’s love and teach us how to be part of His kingdom work.

Being baptized indicates a promise from us to God. Many of us were baptized as infants and our parents made the promise to guide us until we could accept the responsibility for our faith ourselves. That was God’s plan for Jesus as well, that He would guide us until there were other believers to pass the faith to the world.

When Jesus came up out of the water, scripture tells us there was a voice from heaven saying “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (v. 11). God speaks the same message into our lives, saying we are His beloved children and He has wonderful plans for us. Listen for His voice today, encouraging and energizing us to carry on the work Jesus began.

Loving Lord, You have given us Jesus to save and lead us. Help us to use Your gifts and lessons wisely to make a difference in our world. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Mark 1:9-13, taken today from the Common English Bible (CEB).

About that time, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. While he was coming up out of the water, Jesus saw heaven splitting open and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him. And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.” At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

Jesus took human form and accepted human obligations to become one of us, to show us God’s love. He taught us what God expects from His people. He was willing to live and die for us that we might be saved. What can we do to return His love?

Jesus showed us through His actions what God requires of us. He went out to the people to share God’s love through teaching and healing. While we may not perform the miracles Christ did, our work in the world can have a miraculous effect.

Just as God called Jesus to be His representative so we are called to continue the ministry He showed us. God wants everyone to know His love and we are His chosen people to accomplish this. May we accept the gift and the task He gives us joyfully.

Gracious God, we are humbled that You want to connect with us. Help us to be the face of Jesus to all we meet, sharing the wonder of Your love with all the world. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Mark 1:9-13, taken today from the New International Version (NIV).

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Why was Jesus baptized? He had no sin to confess and no need for repentance. We look at this from our human point of view and don’t understand, but God showed us earlier in Jesus’ life that He would undergo all human emotions and practices to be one of us.

Jesus was born of Mary, a human child in need of love and care. He grew up and went through the rites of passage for all children of that time, such as being dedicated at the Temple, so it is only fitting that He would go to be baptized, showing His obedience to God. Jesus says to John “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).

What are we doing today to “fulfill all righteousness”? We must seek to know and do God’s will for our lives every day. Jesus gave us the teaching and the example we need to make God a constant part of everything we do.

Loving Lord, in these noisy and difficult times help us to listen for Your word, hearing the call You place on each of us to share Your love and mercy with the world. Amen.