Category: Daily Prayer

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

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 1:17-18

The law was a guide, a set of instructions to help teach the children of Israel how to honor God and live in community. Jesus came as a person, much different than the law, one able to teach and explain and interact, a living model for us. Whenever He was asked He told them He had “not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

The problem was not with the law but in our understanding and use of it. During Jesus time on earth a group known as the Pharisees enforced the law according to their understanding – with certain loopholes to get around parts they found hard to obey. Does this sound like the way we sometimes think, that the law should be applied fairly – unless it is going to affect us?

Jesus came to show us the true meaning of the law and how it was God’s love for us in action. It was intended to teach a rag-tag group of freed slaves wandering in the desert what life as a community of God-fearing people could be, but it is still applicable to how we worship and treat each other today.

Loving Lord, we are amazed at the beauty of Your Word for us and the lessons it teaches. May we keep Your Word in our hearts today and always, to share the love You send to us. Amen.

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

(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.
John 1:15-16

John the Baptist speaks of Christ’s eternal nature and that through Him we can know God’s grace, which has always been there for us. John Wesley called this prevenient grace, God reaching out to us before we even know and accept His love. Jesus came to show us just how much God was willing to give in order for us to be saved.

We are called to follow Him, to give to the world as He first gave for us, and there is no promise that it will be easy. Many Christians in history and even today endure hardship for their faith. While we may not be facing such trials, we are told to take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24-26), ready to do what is necessary to spread the Good News of salvation.

God’s grace is given to us and it is up to us to share it with all the world. We may stumble but He is there to steady us, we may fear the reaction of the world, but He is there to strengthen us. We go out in His light to show the world that He reigns in peace, not conquering through force but bringing our brothers and sisters into His love.

Gracious God, make us Your agents here on earth. Help us to tell everyone what You have done for us and make disciples of all people. Amen.

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

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 1:11-14

There is a lot of truth packed in a few verses here. We are told that “to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”. What a wonderful blessing! Yes, He created us all but to those who believe He offers a special relationship, to be His children.

Jesus came to be with us that we might see what a life in God looks like. He also called us to the responsibility that goes with that connection, to share the love He gives us with all the world. We are each given special gifts to accomplish this.

I encourage you to try this as we begin a new year: think about one or two of the talents you have been given. Be open to what you are capable of, don’t let modesty prevent you from honestly assessing your gifts. Then ask a friend or relative or your pastor what gifts they see in you. Finally, ask yourself if you are using those gifts earnestly in His service. We have been blessed to be a blessing to each other, share the joy of what God has given you with others.

Gracious God, we are often afraid to share what You give us for fear of rejection or not having enough later on. Help us to see the abundance of Your blessings to us and the way to use them to share Your love with everyone. Amen.

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

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.
John 1:6-9

God chose John the Baptist as a herald of Christ, one to bring the word that the King was coming. John told those who would listen what was necessary to obtain forgiveness – repent of our sins and live a new life. Many heard this from John and were baptized, ready to receive Jesus.

As we begin a new year, let us be ready to live new lives as well. God wants us to know that no matter what our situation is currently, He is ready to help us, to show us the way and provide the support we need to better love and serve Him and each other. God calls each of us to a better life through a closer relationship.

How can we get closer to God? Perhaps by dedicating time for prayer each day or beginning a bible reading plan. Some of us need time alone with God, while others may be blessed by time in a small group or through a new ministry activity. Ask God to show you how, listen for His guidance and don’t be afraid to try something you haven’t done before. The true light is in our world, we must nurture it in ourselves and go to share it with everyone.

Amazing God, we can scarcely believe You are willing to come to be with us, that after all our failures You still reach out with forgiveness and love. Help us to accept Your grace and go to the dark places bearing the light You have given us. 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.
John 1:1-5

Genesis tells us that everything that exists was created by God’s Word. In John’s Gospel passage for today we read that “through Him all things were made” and “in Him was life”. We need to take a moment to realize that the baby Jesus we celebrate at Christmas and the risen Christ we adore at Easter are the same “light of all mankind”, The Word, and the reason we exist at all.

“The Word was with God and the Word was God” sounds like a paradox, but it is our human attempt to understand how God the Father and Jesus the Son relate to each other and to us. God created everything, including us, out of love. It was His desire that we be free to choose our own path, but it was also His desire that we choose Him.

Jesus came to be with us as a human to let us see what true humanity is and to show what we were intended to be – God’s beloved children, connected to Him and each other. God loves us so much that He was willing to endure the pain and suffering of the broken world we have made of His creation. If we accept the truth Christ brings us and acknowledge our heritage in Him, we are promised that we can live eternally with Him.

Loving Lord, we bear the responsibility for the mess we make of our lives and Your world. Help us to see our mistakes and to accept Your forgiveness, to move forward in the new year and the new life You offer us. 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

As we approach a new year, we usually think about changes for the better we can make in our lives. We have just celebrated biggest change the world has ever known, the coming of Christ to be with us, so it is appropriate that we think about what that means to each of us. We are called to change our hearts and minds and lives according to His teachings and follow the path He set for us.

The first chapter of the Gospel of John relates the truth of Christ as “the Word” and “the light of all mankind”. That’s a pretty awesome description, indicating that while Jesus came to be among us as one of us, He has a purpose and a power far beyond anything we can imagine. John tells us that “the Word was God” and “through Him all things were made”, an indication that Jesus was with God from the very beginning.

We honor Him as the human baby born in Bethlehem, but let us never forget that He is Emmanuel, God with us and He has much to share with us. May we see the light He brings to our dark world and tell everyone what He has come to do.

Loving Lord, we feel Your presence with us. As we begin a new year on our human calendar, we invite You into our lives to begin a new way of living, answering Your call to share Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 2:13-23.

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Matthew 2:19-23

This passage concludes with the family returning to Israel after fleeing from the danger Herod posed to the baby. God had called them to an awesome task, they had accepted and obeyed, and God led them to a home where the child could grow up safely. This is the model of connection with God that Jesus would teach to all His followers – listen, obey, repeat.

God sought out Joseph and Mary for this holy charge. God seeks us in the same way everyday. We often think “if only God would speak to me as He did to people then”, but the answer is always “He does”. God has never stopped speaking to us, but in most cases we are not listening, at least not in the proper manner.

Our expectations are sometimes like those who thought the Messiah was to come as a conquering king. We expect the voice of God to reach us loud and clear. In scripture, we have God’s word, in Jesus we have the model for our lives and with the Holy Spirit we are guided, strengthened and encouraged. God calls us through all these means, if we are ready to receive His message and respond.

Gracious God, we are slow to listen and obey the loving instruction You give to us. Help us to hear Your call and do the things You ask of us. Make us energetic doers of Your word. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 2:13-23.

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Matthew 2:16-18

When Christ came into the world, most of those who received the message rejoiced and gave thanks to God. However, there were those who were frightened and angry, afraid of losing their power and position. King Herod was one of these, furious at the thought of a new king being born literally in his backyard, and made even more angry by the appearance of important people from far away coming to worship the child.

King Herod reacted as many people do when frustrated. He lashed out at others, trying desperately to undo what God had done. In his rage, many innocent children were murdered. Some ask “why did God let this happen?” The answer is hard – God made people with free will, able to choose for themselves as part of their created nature, and God would not interfere. Herod chose to commit evil, not looking for a reason, not asking God for help, but sending his soldiers out in a desperate bid to destroy the King he feared would replace him.

God had warned Joseph to flee to Egypt with Mary and the baby Jesus, but no warning went out to the families of Bethlehem. Why were they sacrificed? Lysa TerKeurst writes in the NIV Devotional Bible “It takes prayer, and a decision to stop asking for answers and start asking for perspective”. When we are hurt and confused we need to take it to God in prayer, understanding that He doesn’t send evil but people commit evil acts because they don’t have a connection to Him.

Loving Lord, we don’t understand when terrible things happen in our world and innocent people are hurt. Help us to see that people cause evil and that even in the aftermath of tragedy, You are with us in our grief. Amen.

Our scripture for Sunday is Matthew 2:13-23.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Matthew 2:13-15

Receiving a warning in a dream, Joseph is told that Herod wants to kill the child. Like any good father, he protects them. He listens to God’s command and takes them to safety in Egypt. This reinforces the pattern of hearing and obeying begun when he was told of the sacredness of the child entrusted to them.

Humans are creatures of habit, bad and good. What we think, say and do repeatedly becomes the pattern of our lives. There is an old saying, “Be careful what you think, your thoughts become your words. Be careful what you say, your words become your actions. Be careful what you do, your actions become your habits.” God wants us to pattern ourselves after the perfect model, Jesus Christ who came to love and teach and save us.

How can we practice obedience? First, it must be intentional – we must make the decision and the effort to follow God’s path for us. Second, it must be repeated over and over. The constancy of practice becomes the stability of action. Finally, it must be out of our love for God, and our honest desire to be connected to Him always. By our connection and love for God, we can better connect and love those around us.

Patient God, we know You are waiting for us to give up our earthly desires and return to You. Help us to be the disciples You intend here so that we may be with You in eternity. Amen.

Our scripture for this Sunday is Matthew 2:13-23.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Matthew 2:13-23

After Jesus is born, the Gospel of Matthew tells us of an angry king seeking to destroy the one who would end his reign. This passage appears only in Matthew. The gospels of Mark and John both begin with Jesus as an adult, and while Luke’s Gospel contains the beautiful birth narrative we just read, it doesn’t report the flight to Egypt as does Matthew.

So, is one of these stories wrong? Not necessarily; read any two biographies of a well known person and you will find some differing accounts. It could be that God inspired the writers differently because they were writing to different groups. Matthew may have included this because it mirrors Israel’s history – going to Egypt as Joseph’s family did to escape the famine, children being murdered by an angry king as Pharaoh ordered the execution of the Hebrew babies, being directed to a specific place to live as God had led them to the promised land.

Whatever the reason, Matthew reports that Joseph obeyed God’s instructions to protect the newborn king. God is telling us that He has done this before to connect with us, that He wants to be the center of our lives and we can trust Him to take care of us. When we listen to His word in scripture and follow His commands, we are becoming part of His plan for salvation.

Loving Lord, we ask that You continue to lead us throughout our lives. You sent Jesus to teach us to be obedient and to love each other as You first loved us. Thank You for such a blessing. Amen.