Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 1:20-21 (RSV).

But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

I feel that Joseph sometimes gets a bad rap in the Gospels for thinking of divorcing Mary. We know the real story now, but at this point Joseph doesn’t. In all the previous history of the world, there has only been one way to have a child. Can you imagine how he feels? This is not only embarrassing but unbelievable.

A census has been ordered for tax purposes and since he and Mary are legally connected by betrothal, although not legally married, he must take her with him on the trip to Bethlehem. Wouldn’t it just be easier to end it now? How will this look in their community if he doesn’t?

Earlier in this chapter we read “and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:19). He wasn’t trying to hurt Mary but he was also hurt and confused. However, after he is notified by the angel as Mary was, he too says “yes” to God’s plan for us. God often works in ways we don’t understand, but if we listen with faithful hearts, we can know His will for us.

Gracious God, we are amazed by the things You do for us, even in our fallen state. Forgive us and bless us to be energetic disciples, sharing Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 1:45-47 (RSV).

“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,”

“The Magnificat”, Mary’s song which glorifies the Lord, is one of the most beautiful expressions of praise ever recorded. I encourage you to read all of Luke 1 in order to appreciate the magnitude of what happens in this chapter, but especially verses 46-55. God continues His plan of salvation by sending His Son to live as one of us and teach us His love.

Other examples of individual songs of praise in scripture are Hannah’s Song (1 Samuel 2:1-10), Zechariah’s Prophecy (Luke 1:68-79) and Simeon blessing the Christ Child (Luke 2:29-32). In each case people were filled with the Holy Spirit and offered God praise and thanks for His gifts to us. They saw how God was active in His creation and were moved to worship Him.

Sadly, our reactions to God’s blessings often seem nothing like these. We may not even recognize what we have been given through His love in everyday situations, but God continues to act in our lives, just as He has always done. May we be filled in the same way as we await the coming of our Lord.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for our lack of awareness of what You do for us on a daily basis. Help us to see the joy of living as Jesus taught us and send us to share that blessing with all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 1:35 (RSV).

And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”

There are several instances of angels appearing to people in scripture, but the interaction between Mary and Gabriel is especially poignant and a valuable lesson for us all. It would be more than most of us could handle, but Mary, even at her young age, is not only composed but asks an intelligent question: “How can this be?”

We need to learn from Mary’s example that it is alright to have reservations or concerns about what God asks of us. Sometimes God calls us to amazing tasks, like sharing the Good News of His kingdom with the world. He chose Mary for an especially difficult mission: to be the mother of Jesus.

What questions would we have had as the earthly parents of God’s own Son? Surely there would be concerns over the community response to this event, an unmarried couple with a child was not the normal sequence of events. However, Mary is the perfect example of discipleship, answering Gabriel “I am the Lord’s servant; let it be as you have said.” May we have the faith and courage to answer Him in the same way.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we are afraid to say yes to Your call on our lives. Forgive us and send us to bring Your light and love to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 9:6-7 (RSV).

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

The prophet Isaiah gives an amazing description of the child who is born to save us. He shares the promise God has made for justice and righteousness. Later, he tells us the price to be paid for our salvation: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

Jesus knew from the beginning what He was born to do, later confirmed by God Himself saying “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). He was completely faithful in His mission to bring us the Good News, preaching “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).

The apostle Paul writes of Jesus “For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:19-20). Jesus gave Himself up for us, we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20) and it is a debt we can never repay.

Loving Lord, we are ashamed of the times we have gone astray, ignoring Your word and not loving one another as You taught. Forgive us and send us in Your name that all the world may know the joy of salvation in You. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Micah 5:2 (RSV).

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.

This passage, repeated in Matthew 2:6, indicates how God’s plan for salvation is to be put into action. It is God’s promise to His people that though they have turned from Him they are not forgotten. He will act, in His time and in a way that no one expects.

Throughout history God has consistently chosen the underdog, the one overlooked by the world because of their status or origin. God doesn’t consider these things when He chooses someone as His representative. In 1 Samuel 16:7 we read “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

We need to see ourselves in this choosing of the unexpected. God has a plan for each one of us and calls us to be part of the work to accomplish it. We must realize that this work doesn’t earn us a place in eternity, but rather is our response to the greatest gift ever given – Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Heavenly Father, we don’t always see things the way You do. Help us to look at each other with Your love, recognizing our differences but knowing in Your eyes we are all Your beloved children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 7:14 (RSV).

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanu-el.

The prophet Isaiah offered these words some 600 years before the birth of Jesus. In Isaiah we find many references pointing to Christ’s coming. Passages from Isaiah are quoted frequently in the New Testament, as this is in Matthew 1:23: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanu-el (which means, God with us).”

One reference that points to Jesus bringing us the Good News is found in Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives.” This is the scripture Jesus reads in the Temple in Luke 4:14-21, and He says to the people “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 

God has told us of His plan for our salvation throughout history. The academic analysis is interesting, but more important is our faith in His promise to us. God wants us to know His love, shown by the gift and example of our Savior and spread the Good News everywhere.

Loving Lord, we are amazed at what You are willing to do to save us from our sin. Bless us to accept the love You send and share it with all our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Jeremiah 23:5-6 (RSV).

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

I had to double check that I wasn’t repeating the scripture from yesterday – this passage from Jeremiah echoes Isaiah 11:1-2 which was written approximately 150 years earlier. Both of them received the word of God regarding the coming of the Messiah from the line of David. He would be a king by His lineage, but a different kind of king, unlike any the world had ever seen before.

Many expected one “like” David, a mighty warrior who would fight against their oppressors. People still didn’t understand that the ultimate oppressor is the one who leads us away from a relationship with God and His chosen Messiah. Our own sin and our failure to trust in the Lord are what continue to oppress us.

The reign of God’s promised king isn’t based on power, wealth, or territory and isn’t limited by any of these earthly things. The Messiah is king over all that is! His conquering power comes through God’s love and care for us, shown by His life, death and resurrection. This is true saving power: our sins can be forgiven and we are called to be part of His kingdom work.

Gracious God, forgive us for our selfishness, thinking we can save ourselves. Bless us to live in Your love and share it with all of Your children everywhere. Amen.

This Advent I’m rediscovering the Revised Standard Version, which was the first Bible I was given as a third grader and used in church for many years. It is a revision of the American Standard Version which came from the King James Version. The language is older but still speaks to me, especially beautiful and familiar Christmas passages.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 11:1-2 (RSV).

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Isaiah had a difficult task: to convince the people of their sin and turn them back toward God, but also to comfort and assure them that God still loved them. This is an issue we continue to face today, our recurring sin and God’s constant love for us no matter what.

This promise of a Messiah from the line of David gave hope to the people of that time. Jesus came to share God’s love and teach us to do the same. He showed us “the spirit of wisdom and understanding” and called us into His service.

The Lord Himself tells us “I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star” (Revelation 22:16). We can rely on His love and care for us as we show our brothers and sisters the same love and care He gives us all.

Loving Lord, You came to save us from our sin and teach us that we are all worthy to be called God’s children. Help us to share the joy we know in Your coming to be with us, and live together as You have taught us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Jeremiah 33:14-15 (RSV).

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring forth for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

As we have heard, Jesus was never Plan B. In this passage from the prophet Jeremiah we hear God’s continuing promise to His people. They had turned away from the Lord and both Judah and Israel fell to foreign invaders. However, God did not forget or abandon them.

Jeremiah writes of the Savior to come from the line of David. From the very beginning God knew His children’s weaknesses and stood ready to lead them back to Himself in love. While we may ignore the commandments we have been given, God never ignores us.

God has made covenants with His people throughout history that we may know Him and believe in His love for us. Jesus Himself gives us the Good News that “the kingdom of Heaven has come near” (Matthew 4:17). He also tells us “For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17). Jesus is our only way to be saved, may we celebrate His coming by sharing His love with everyone.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to redeem us from our sin. Forgive us and bless us to go in His name to bring Your love to all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 40:3 (NKJV).

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

I have a personal connection to this scripture – it is part of the text for the opening tenor solo of “The Messiah” that I have sung many times. The full passage speaks of God’s care and comfort for His people and our responsibility to “prepare the way of the Lord”. God loved us so much He sent His Son, a part of Himself, to be with us and show us the way to salvation.

This scripture was written to a people who had suffered the loss of their land and their freedom to a foreign oppressor. God was still with them and promised there would be a Savior to redeem them. While the Lord works on His own timeline, His word is our ultimate security.

Our call is no different than it was to the people centuries ago: “make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Jesus came to save us and make us part of the kingdom work. In Matthew 5:14 He tells us we are “the light of the world.” Let us go in His name with the light of our faith burning brightly!

Gracious God, we are humbled and amazed that You call us to be part of what You are doing in creation. Bless us to be light bearers in a dark world that desperately needs Your love. Amen.