Category: Daily Prayer

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.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 3:16 (NLT).

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

Most people are familiar with the Gospel of John 3:16 “For God so loved the world…”. However, The First Letter of John 3:16 gives us another look at the fact that Jesus “gave up His life for us.” We know of course that He died on the cross for us, but that was only part of His sacrifice for us.

Jesus gave up His life in Heaven to come to earth to be with us. Jesus gave up a life with His earthly family to accomplish the mission God gave Him. Jesus came to share God’s love and left us with the commission to carry on His work, telling everyone what He has done for us.

When we read “So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters” it reminds us that we are called to make the same sacrifices that Jesus did on a daily basis. Does this mean physically dying for our brothers and sisters? It can, as we see in the martyrs throughout history who faced death rather than deny their faith. More often it means laying down our daily burdens and distractions to show God’s love to one another in ways that bless us both.

Loving Lord, we are often so wrapped up in our own lives that we ignore the needs of others. Help us to see past our own issues and feelings to truly love one another as You have taught us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 13:34-35 (NLT).

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Jesus says He is giving us a new commandment, to love one another. That part is not new, going back as far as the time of the Exodus: “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18). However, He adds to this “as I have loved you”. 

While this doesn’t change the intent of the commandment, it amplifies the response expected of us. To love one another as Jesus has loved us is a huge thing. It means not merely tolerating each other and avoiding open conflict, but to make ourselves aware of what is going on in the lives of our brothers and sisters.

Christian author Brennan Manning writes “we must discover why our enemy cries.” If we are to love one another as He first loved us, we must be aware of the needs and fears each other face. This sharing is what builds a community that loves God and each other as Jesus taught us.

Gracious God, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved through Your Son. Help us to see all Your children as family and love them the way Jesus showed us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 22:36-40 (NLT).

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

While those who asked this question had a devious purpose (trying to trap Jesus by His response), He turned the situation around on them and taught them about priorities. Loving God is the most important thing and loving each other right behind it. Bishop Scott Jones used to call this “keeping the main thing the main thing”, something humans are not always careful about.

Christian author Brennan Manning says we become like the Pharisees who questioned Jesus when we “make the secondary primary and the primary secondary.” Following the rules without love for God or one another does not enrich our spirit or bring us closer to salvation. Without love, the rules are merely checklists to complete.

If we concentrate on loving and sharing God’s word, we can avoid the lure of worldly things that lead us astray. My faith phrase is “love God, love neighbor, make disciples”, a combination of the Greatest Commandment and the Great Commission. We need to focus on what is important and not be distracted from our call.

Loving Lord, help us to see what is truly important in Your kingdom, our connection to You and each other. Bless us to be energetic disciples, sharing Your love and light with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 3:34-35 (NLT).

For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands.

John’s gospel speaks often of God’s love for us, expressed through the gift of His Son. In this passage we read that Jesus is on a mission, sent by God to show us how to live in Him and love one another. The spirit Jesus promises us has been given to Him by God “without limit”.

The fact that God “has put everything into His hands” is shared by Jesus Himself after His resurrection: “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). He commissions us to go in His name to continue the work He has begun. In John 20:21 He tells us “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

Jesus wouldn’t send us to do something we can’t accomplish. We are to work together using the gift of His presence through the Holy Spirit. He promises us “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you” (John 14:26). Together in His spirit, we can share the love that brought Him to us.

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we let our temporary concerns interfere with our eternal work. May we carry the Good News of salvation to all the earth. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 5:8-9 (NLT).

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.

Sometimes I find it hard to comprehend Christ’s love for us in being a willing sacrifice for our sin. The very Word of God came in human form to show us His love and to die as we do in order to offer us eternal life. We may hear of someone sacrificing themselves for a good cause, but Jesus came “to die for us while we were still sinners.”

Christian authors Tim Augustyn and Colin Smith share this explanation: “God said “I’ll be the giver”, the Son said “I’ll be the gift” and the Spirit said “I’ll bring the gift to all people.”” This connection is essential to our understanding. God made a sacrifice for us and it was Himself.

In Hebrews 9:28 we read “so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.” This is where we often miss out! Are we eagerly waiting for Him? May we anticipate His coming during this season of Advent and every day afterward until He returns.

Heavenly Father, we are amazed at what You are willing to do for us, even in our fallen state. Forgive us and send us to share this awesome love with all your children everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 4:16-17 (NLT).

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

Throughout the letters of John we hear of God’s love for us and our blessing to live in His love and share it with the world. The New Bible Commentary calls this a “mutual indwelling”, that we live in God and He lives in us. This connection is the result of accepting Jesus as our Savior and our call to “live like Jesus here in this world.”

How do we live out His example for us? First, we must remember that our discipleship may not be easy. Jesus warned “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first” (John 15:18). The world wants its own way, in spite of the love and care Jesus has to offer. We must give the resistant world our love just as He does.

The love God sends is available to all His children, and we are called to be an active part of the kingdom work. We aren’t required to be great orators or prolific authors, just God’s beloved children sharing His love in our everyday interactions. Each of us have the capability and responsibility to carry the Good News everywhere.

Loving Lord, we are amazed that You love us so much and want us to share Your love. Bless us to go in Your name, living out the love by which we were created and giving it away to all Your children.  Amen.