Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture for this week is Luke 18:1-8.

“He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’” Luke 18:2-3 NIV

We aren’t told the specifics of the widow’s issue, but it was worth having to deal with the justice system in order to get resolution. Anyone who has ever had a legal matter knows that this is not something done lightly. Dealing with what many scholars call the “unjust judge” could only make it worse. However, the scripture tells us she was persistent in her claim, and “kept coming to him with the plea”.

Jesus teaches that this kind of persistence is needed in our faith life. We should not be deterred by the roadblocks the world throws in our paths, but as Paul writes “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12). God’s promise is not that we will be free of all trouble in life, but that our faith and our connection to Him will allow us to stand against the issues we face.

The widow in this parable was not receiving justice in her case, but she continued to go to the judge with her request. When she didn’t obtain a favorable ruling, she didn’t give up. Her repeated engagement is an example of faithful persistence for us.

Gracious God, we are grateful for Your love that is constant and eternal.  Help us to be persistent in our faith, following the example that Jesus set for us, and loving the world as He did. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 18:1-8.

1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Jesus used parables to explain heavenly things in earthly terms. In this scripture passage he uses the example of an “unjust” judge – a seeming contradiction, but one to which those hearing the parable would relate. A judge that does not fear God nor what people think is a dangerous situation.

Many of our leaders seem to take into account what people think and that is the motivator for their actions. While representing the opinions of people whom a leader serves is important to a point, a leader also functions as the conscience of a group, charged not with merely putting popular opinion into law, but informing people of the consequences of an action and generating discussion about the effects.

Most of us would want our leaders to have a fear of God to execute matters of state and the people in a moral manner. Sadly, many leaders do not seem to fear God or to have a personal relationship with Him, and that was the case with the judge in this parable. Someone that does not know the Lord and cares nothing for the people is a dangerous leader indeed.

Loving Lord, we are often divided about what to do in Your world by our own thoughts and opinions, and by our selfish desire to be in control. Help us to give up all things to Your control that true justice and freedom may come upon the earth. Amen.

Our scripture for this week is Luke 17:11-19.

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

This lesson has many things to teach us. We see Jesus reaching out to those in need, the healing God provides, and the renewed relationship of faith that grows out of that blessing. Each of these things are important in our connection with God and others.

These lepers had been rejected and separated from society because of their condition. Other people shunned them and they often lived from day to day in loneliness and pain, without the support of the community. Jesus is not afraid to engage them and offers them healing. He instructs them to show themselves to the priests, but one is awed by what he has received, and turns back to offer thanks and praise.

Jesus tells him “Rise and go, your faith has made you well”, an indicator that he is headed the right direction, but that more is to be required of him. Jesus doesn’t give him a specific task, but when we are healed by our faith, the implicit instruction is to share that joy and the relationship with God that allowed it to happen in our lives with others. We are made whole for a purpose, to spread the Good News to all the world.

Loving Lord, we receive blessings from You every day, but we sometimes forget to activate them by thanking You and going to share our joy with others. Help us to show our gratitude as a way of showing others Your love and bringing them to a connection with You. Amen.

Our scripture for the week is Luke 17:11-19.

As Jesus is traveling toward Jerusalem, ten lepers call on Him for mercy. He takes time to offer them healing, and tells them to show themselves to the priests, according to the law. As they go, the healing occurs. One of them, a Samaritan, returns to offer thanks and praise.

Were the other nine not thankful to God for the blessing they had received? The scripture doesn’t tell us that, only that they did not return as did the Samaritan. Many scholars think that the other nine were Jewish and were intent on fulfilling the law, which required them to appear before the priests in order to rejoin society after being healed. Perhaps their focus was on going back home, perhaps they offered thanks to God when the priests ruled they could come back, we really don’t know.

We do know that the Samaritan man recognized the gift he had received and returned to show his thankfulness. Jesus is showing us that our connection to God is more important than our connection to ceremony and organization. When we get wrapped up in the form, we sometimes forget the faith. This is what Jesus says to the man in verse 19, “Your faith has made you well”. We need to remember that our love of God and each other is the basis for all our other connections.

Heavenly Father, we sometimes let our concern for structure override our caring, making our order of worship the worship of order. Help us to see that our relationships are more important than our organizations. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 17:11-19.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
Luke 17:17-19

Jesus had sent the ten lepers to see the priests before their healing had occurred, but when this man realized he had been healed, he turned back to give thanks for that gift. Jesus asks (rhetorically of course), where the other nine are, and points out the fact that the one who returned is a Samaritan. There is something for us to observe and learn here, or Jesus wouldn’t have called it to our attention.

The other nine were doing what Jesus told them, going to show themselves to the priests. However, obedience is only part of the equation. Jesus wants us to be obedient, but in that path lies a relationship with God that leads to our understanding of all He does for us and our natural reaction to that knowledge should be thanks and praise.

Sadly we don’t always obey, but when we do, are we being blindly obedient? Do we see the requirement and not the blessing? Jesus points out that this Samaritan, whom the crowd assumes has no relationship with God, is the only one who has honored that relationship by expressing thanks.

Gracious God, how often You have blessed us and we have not responded with our thanks. Forgive our lack of connection and vision, help us to see Your loving hand in our lives and be truly grateful. Amen.

Our scripture for this week is Luke 17:11-19

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Luke 17:15-16

The healing Jesus promised the ten men has occurred, and one turns back to offer praise and thanks – “and he was a Samaritan” (v. 16). As we have heard before, Samaritans worshipped differently and did not keep the same laws as did the Jews. This man as a Samaritan leper may have been seen as “doubly unclean”.

That didn’t matter to Jesus. He didn’t ask where they worshipped God – or even if they worshipped God. He offered them God’s love and healing not because of who they were here but because they were God’s creation.

Jesus teaches us to share God’s love in the same way, not asking who they are or determining if they “deserve” it, but giving because God has given to us first. Our love for others is commanded, but it should be part of of us because they are part of us.

Loving Lord, help us to see everyone as our brothers and sisters. May we follow the example Jesus set, loving everyone and sharing Your gifts freely. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 17:11-19.

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
Luke 17:14

We have to pay attention to catch the lesson in this verse. When a leper was cured, according to the law they had to show themselves to a priest before they could be allowed back into society. Jesus tells them to go to the priests before the healing occurs, and as they obeyed Him, they were cleansed.

Sometimes God’s gifts work this way. We must have faith that He is constant in His love to us and when a promise is made, it will be kept. We just may not see it at first.

These men were confident that if they obeyed Jesus, they would be healed. It hadn’t happened yet, but because He told them to do what healed lepers do, they believed He would make them well. Jesus teaches us to act like the forgiven children of God, because in our obedience, we are forgiven.

Gracious God, sometimes we don’t see the “proof” of what you are doing in our lives, and in our shortsightedness, we fail. Help us to see the truth of Your blessings to us even when our human senses say it isn’t happening, help us to trust and obey. Amen.

Our scripture for this week is Luke 17:11-19.

As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” Luke 17:12-13

People recognized that Jesus was special. He not only taught about God’s love, He showed us how it was to be shared. In this passage we hear of a group of men asking Jesus for pity, in their hope that He would heal them.

These men had no previous relationship with Jesus, many of the recipients of His healing did not. Jesus teaches us that He is ready and able to help us, no matter what our situation. He calls us to be ready to do the same, to offer God’s love and care without analyzing or judging.

Jesus didn’t require those who came to Him be believers, but when people saw the healing with which He blessed them, even those around them found it hard not to believe. We need to see healing around us and know that it is a gift from Him. We also need to share that love and comfort in the belief that He will bless our efforts for others, even as He healed others Himself.

Loving Lord, we know that You love and heal us, and that You call us to do the same for others. Help us to be the messengers of the Good News, bringing comfort and hope to all Your children. Amen.

This week’s scripture is Luke 17:11-19.

11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. 13They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Jesus was out in the world, meeting people and ministering to them. This is the example He gave us, to be part of God’s creation, engaged with our brothers and sisters, aware of their issues and needs. It is no surprise that people came to Him to be comforted, healed and forgiven.

Jesus says we are to go and do likewise, sharing the truth of God’s love with the whole world. We may say “but Lord, we don’t have the gifts You have to do what You do”. Jesus knows our human limitations, but He calls us to use the gifts we have to make a difference.

Our call is to be like Jesus. Only He can be Lord and Savior, but we too are made in God’s image and given the ability to comfort, heal and forgive. We must obey the command He gave to love one another and make disciples of all the world.

Heavenly Father, we are thankful for Your gift of Jesus to show us how to live. Bless our work to be like Him, and to share the Good News always and everywhere. Amen.

As humans we always seem to be looking for more – more money, more things, more attention. We believe that if we have more everything, life will be better somehow. The disciples asked Jesus to give them more faith, (Luke 17:5) which seems a reasonable goal, but Jesus uses their request to show them that more is not always what we should be seeking.

Jesus gives them a gentle rebuke, saying if their faith were only as big as a tiny mustard seed, great things could be accomplished. He explains that it is not a large faith that is needed, but a faith that works, an effective faith, a connection to the Lord that gives us the confidence to go and do what is required of us. Faith is not a commodity to be piled up like earthly goods to say “I have more than you”.

Faith is difficult to describe and perhaps that is why the disciples ask for more, if you don’t feel you have it, you must need an additional portion. Jesus teaches that faith is not something to have, but something to use. It is God’s gift in us to accept a relationship with Him that is unique in all of creation. Faith is trusting that God is constant and reliable, that we can be assured of His promise if we use our faith to do His will.

Loving Lord, we want to be in connection with You and all our brothers and sisters. Help us to be faithful servants, using the gifts we have been given for the good of Your kingdom. Amen.