Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this week is John 1:29-42.

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 I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
John 1:29-31

John had a special calling from God, a very important role to play. His ministry of baptism in the desert by the Jordan River called the people of Israel to recognize their sin and repent. While this was essential to God’s plan, it was key to preparing the way of the Lord, making the people ready to receive Jesus.

John recognized Jesus as the Messiah, and what He’d had come to do, telling us that Jesus was “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”. John called people to repent of their sins, but Jesus came to wipe our sin away, the only way that we can be forgiven. Jesus came to be the sacrifice that destroys our guilt forever.

What must we do to receive the forgiveness the Lamb offers? We must follow the path John showed us, repenting of our former sinful ways, and receiving Christ’s blessing. We are called to live new lives in Him, loving God, loving neighbor and making disciples of all the world. This is the gift God gives us that we may be reconciled to Him.

Loving Lord, we are so thankful for the gift of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Thanks You for loving us so much! Amen.

Our scripture this week is John 1:29-42.

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 I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”  “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter ).
John 1:29-42

God chose to create everything there is, including us. He chose to create us intending that we would choose to be in relationship with Him. When humans chose their own way instead, the relationship was strained by sin, not broken but no longer the same. Only through God’s grace and merciful forgiveness can the relationship be restored.

God has been reaching out to us in love from the very beginning, and even our sin doesn’t stop His constant effort to bring us back. In this week’s lesson we hear testimony from John the Baptist that Jesus is the one God chose to come among us to show His love in person. Jesus in turn chooses a group to be His disciples, to teach them how our choice to love God and each other can bring us back into a full relationship with God.

Think about what God has done and continues to do in your life. How can you better accept His love and share it with others? God’s call is not just for each of us to come back but to help others feel His love and return as well.

Gracious God, even when we stumble, You reach out to steady us and show us there is a way back to You. Help us to reach out to others and let them see Your love at work in our world. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:13-17.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:13-17

This passage tells us that Jesus obeyed God by going to be baptized in the Jordan River. It tells us that God was “well pleased” with Him because of His obedience. It isn’t recorded that anyone else was aware of the voice from heaven or the Spirit descending, but Jesus certainly noticed.

Have you ever done something good and no one else knew about it? Did it make you feel like you missed out because no one said “Good job!” or were you happy just knowing you had done the right thing? We are called to obey God and share His love, not to receive any praise from anyone but simply out of our love for Him.

Jesus didn’t go because He expected adulation, but to prove His obedience to God, and to show us that the way to salvation is through that obedience. He gave us the example of doing God’s will for the sake of our relationship with Him alone, not any recognition from the world. We are called to live for God’s approval, and what the world thinks of us will not matter in eternity.

Loving Lord, we put too much emphasis on being noticed in our world. Help us to see that Your attention and love for us is all that really matters. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:13-17.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:13-17

The Jews had practiced baptism before Jesus came into the world, but it was only for those who converted to Judaism. Not until John the Baptist began to preach repentance did the Jews go to be baptized themselves. Many thought that because they were the children of Abraham and God’s chosen people they had no need for repentance or baptism.

Some however began to see that for an honest relationship with God and His Messiah a change in their lives was necessary. Jesus came among us to be one of us and so He too went to the Jordan to be baptized by John. He did this with a right heart in order to show that the symbolic act of baptism carries a spiritual gift. Some call it “an outward sign of an inward change”.

We are called to remember our baptism and the covenant we make through our profession of faith. It shows our commitment to God and a promise to live out the lessons Jesus taught. God reaches out to us with forgiveness, and through baptism we accept His love and mercy to guide our lives.

Loving Lord, we often live as if our baptism never happened, not loving You or our neighbors. Lead us back to Your path and let Your light show us the right way of living in accordance with the promise we have made. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:13-17.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus came as a human not to seek anyone’s approval, but to do what God had called Him to do. We on the other hand like to be liked and will often say or do things merely to be accepted. In order to follow Jesus, we need to give up our concern about what the world thinks of us and listen more closely to God’s desire for our lives.

When Jesus came to John to be baptized, it wasn’t because He needed people’s approval or forgiveness for sin. He says “it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness” (verse 15). This was His only concern, to do what God had asked of Him. We hear in this reading that God was pleased with Him.

How can we please God? Jesus gave us the three points to remember in all His lessons – love God, love neighbor, make disciples. We must be in touch with God to hear His call on our lives and receive His loving approval when we do His will. If we aren’t in touch with God we miss both of these essentials.

People often say “I wish I could hear God as clearly as Jesus did”. My first question is “Are you listening closely?”. Listening to God is the most important thing we do. We can’t ask God to speak to us if we continue to blunder through our lives doing only what we want. I’ve also heard it said “If God really wanted me to do something, He’d grab my attention”. God isn’t a “grabber”, He reaches out in love to us and waits for us to take His hand. Spend time listening today and hear God’s invitation.

Patient God, we know You are there waiting for us. Your grace is given long before we ever respond. Help us to listen and be aware of the needs in Your world that we are called to meet. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:13-17.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:16-17

Jesus has come to John to show His dedication to God by being baptized. This could be another “angel visitation to the shepherds” moment. We hear that the spirit of God descended on Him and God spoke from heaven. The crowd would have been buzzing about what they saw and heard.

Matthew doesn’t tell us that, but surely he would have written about it if it happened. Verse 16 tells us Jesus saw the spirit of God and heard God’s voice – there’s no mention of anyone else being aware of it. Why wouldn’t God want everyone to know?

This was a private moment between Jesus and the Father. God wanted Jesus to know He was ready for His ministry on earth and that He needed to share God’s love with everyone. It was up to Jesus to show the world by His faith in God, His love to others and His actions that proved what He preached. God could give us all a miraculous sign at any time, but that is not how He chooses to reach us. We must hear His word, accept His love for ourselves and follow Jesus to bring the Good News to everyone.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for the gift of our Savior and the gentle way He taught us of Your love. Help us to be strong in our faith and go to bless others that all the world may know You. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:13-17.

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
Matthew 3:15

“Let it be so now” Jesus says. He is aware of what this means – that as our human role model He has been called to do the things we do and go through what we go through. There aren’t any special privileges. Yes, He is the Son of God, but while He was with us He was one of us.

Jesus came to earth to show us what we could be – God’s chosen ones, His children, and what that could mean in our lives now and in eternity. He taught that by loving God and each other, we could be blessed beyond anything we can imagine. He taught us that once we know this we are called to share that blessing with everyone.

Jesus said “Let it be so now” because it will be very different later. Matthew 25:31-32 tells us “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” When He returns things will be much different and we must be ready.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the things we do for ourselves, not giving glory to You, forgetting that You have given us everything. Help us to follow the lessons Jesus taught us that at the last day we may be found worthy to enter Your kingdom. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:13-17.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Matthew 3:13-14

John knows who Jesus is, and understands at least partially what He has come to do. When Jesus asks to be baptized, John is confused and objects. Why would the Son of God need to baptized by a human? Why would He need to be baptized at all?

Jesus hears the bewilderment in John’s question “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (verse 14). He isn’t the kind of Messiah that John (or anyone else) expected. Jesus will deal with this during His whole ministry. John will ask Him “Are you the one to come or should we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3). Peter will object to having the Lord wash his feet (John 13:8).

They were not expecting a serving savior, one is willing to get down in the very pit of human existence with us. However, Jesus doesn’t see any human thing as being beneath His dignity. He comes among us and lives as we do, ready to show that anything we go through He is willing to go through with us, even death. Jesus loves and saves us because He knows what it’s like to be us. Don’t let human things get in your way of a relationship with Him.

Loving Lord, we stumble and fall and we resist Your efforts to pick us back up because we are ashamed. Help us to see that You are willing to forgive us even before we turn to You. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 3:13-17.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Matthew 3:13-17

John the Baptist preached repentance and baptism for forgiveness of sin. Why then would Jesus go to him? Jesus was perfect and sinless, He had no need to be washed clean.

When Jesus came to live among us, He came as one of us. Although He was the Son of God, He was the human model for our lives, an example of what we were intended to be, and still could be if we followed Him. Jesus was willing to do human things in order to show us what we were to do.

He didn’t consider Himself above being baptized because He wanted us to see that the repentance it symbolizes was necessary to be forgiven and live a new life. The forgiveness God sends changes our relationship with Him, with others and with ourselves. No longer burdened by the guilt of sin, we are free to be as God created us.

Gracious God, we are not worthy of Your forgiveness but You forgive us anyway. Help us to see the joy of a life in You, able to stand in Your light as beloved children. Amen.

Our scripture this week is John 1:1-18.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John 1:1-18

God sent His Son to be with us, to show us how to connect to Him and to live as we were created to be. Jesus was more connected to God than anyone, but through His lessons and life, we were taught that we could have that relationship too if we only accepted and followed Him. It is amazing to think that God would call us to be His children, the brothers and sisters of Christ.

It is so amazing that we often have an issue believing it could be true. We want another sign, another proof. Like Philip we ask “show us the Father and that will be enough for us” (John 14:8), but will it? We have already heard “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known” (John 1:18). Jesus is the only proof we need!

We must accept the living sign that is Christ Himself as the truth of God’s love for us and His desire to be in relationship with us. God owes us nothing, we owe everything to Him! Even so, God continues to reach out to us with His grace, telling us every day how much He cares for us.

Gracious God, we are humbled by the fact You want to connect with us. Help us to see that no matter what situation we find ourselves in, You are there for us, ready to support us in all that we face. Amen.