13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” 15 And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.
Dear God, I think I have prayed about this before, but this was the New Testament/Gospel reading for the Catholic Church today so I thought I would look at it again. The same question that I think came to my mind then is what popped up today: How did those children’s lives turn out?
A nice thought might be that they ended up living these wonderful, Godly, blessed, and fruitful lives–all positive. I’m sure that’s what the parents who brought them that day wanted for them. We love our children and want the best for them. But the truth is, we have no idea what your best for them is. Maybe your best for them is for them to struggle and be honed into the people you have for them to be. Maybe your best for them is for them to suffer as they serve you. I am sure there was a disconnect that day between what the parents had in mind and what you had in mind.
We want so much for our children. I guess all animals do. I was thinking this week about animals in the wild that have babies. With some exceptions, the mothers will normally do whatever they have to do to defend and protect their child. There is this natural desire to just want to wrap them up and not let anything hurt them. But eventually we have to let them go, both humans and wild animals, and they have to face the world on their own. Human parents can try to help with some of the struggles of adulthood as appropriate, but for the most part the hope is that you will provide a path for our children than will bring them love, joy, peace, patients, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, gentleness, and self control.
Father, I pray that kind of blessing for my grown children today. Lead them into the fruit that comes from a life lived in submission to you. That’s the best I know how to pray for them. Use my wife and me in whatever way you have for us to be a part of your plan.
I pray all of this through the redemption offered me through Jesus,
15 It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. 16 They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. 17 Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. 18 But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. 19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.
20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
Philippians 1:15-24
Dear God, I know that it’s easy for me to say these words because I do not experience imminent threats to my safety or even my livelihood, but this is the attitude I aspire towards. That my life should really not matter. That I am willing to suffer if it means other will be saved.
Now that I think about it, I had some weird dreams last night. I don’t remember everything, but I remember a mixture of sorrow and joy. I remember one dream where my wife had written a screenplay about our lives that had been sold into a movie. I found out by watching a trailer for the movie and recognizing the story as ours. When I asked her how much she sold our story for, she told me and I was delighted for her and for where we are now compared to the trials I had seen depicted in the trailer. Later, I know I was crying. I’m not sure why. But I was sad about something.
Of course, I do have sorrow. My heart does ache. I guess, like my dream, I have some things in my life that bring me great joy, and other things that make me very sad. It makes me think of the Rich Mullins song “The Love of God.” One of the verses says, “Joy and sorry are this ocean. It’s in their every ebb and flow. Now the Lord a door has opened that all hell could never close. Here I’m tested and made worthy. Tossed about, yet lifted up in the reckless, raging fury that they call the love of God.”
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, today, I give you my joy and my sorrow. Both are yours. My joy comes from you and I return it to you. My sorrow is something you will comfort and refine me through. I am tested and made worthy. I’m tossed about, yet lifted up into the reckless, raging fury of your love. Thank you. Thank you.
I pray all of this grateful to be submitted to you,
5 So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, just as the Lord had said. 6 The Lord buried him in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place. 7 Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever. 8 The people of Israel mourned for Moses on the plains of Moab for thirty days, until the customary period of mourning was over.
9 Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him, doing just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Deuteronomy 34:5-9
Dear God, there are always different chapter and phases of our journey. When we are children, we start school and begin a 13-year journey to high school graduation. Some might then start college and the journey to at least one degree–possibly multiple degrees and advanced degrees. Eventually, most will start a career and the long climb to accomplishment and eventual retirement. At the same time, we often get married and start building a family, first with our spouse and then raising children. The journey goes on and on. Sometimes we build on what we’ve done before, and sometimes we start over from scratch.
I have a new woman at work who is working on fundraising for our nonprofit with me. I told her that I call fundraising throughout the year the “fundraising wheel.” It turns in a big circle with our different fundraising activities, and then when the year finishes, we start again. We work to raise the money we need for the budget all year long, and then when January comes we start over at zero and start climbing the hill again. I guess all businesses are like that.
I am thinking about all of this because I’m thinking about Joshua and what was in front of him here. He had spent the last 40 years following Moses’s lead. Now, although he was taking up where Moses had left off, for the most part, he was starting at zero. There was a Promised Land to inhabit and he had to start the process one step at a time. One prayerful moment at a time. One battle at a time.
At my work, we are about to start the process of expanding our building to improve our existing services, offer more services, and prepare for growth over the next 20 years. I’ve never done anything like this before. Perhaps it’s for the best because my ignorance might just be my ally. If I knew how hard this will be I might be too afraid to do it. But I have you. I have prayer and faith. I am going to find a day to fast and pray to you about this because I know I cannot do any of it–select an architect, select a plan, raise the money, and oversee the construction, all the while managing our existing operations–without your guidance and provision.
Father, there are many aspects of my life that need your leadership. Okay, every aspect of my life needs your leadership. Please lead me. Please keep me from going in any direction that you do not support. Make our leadership wise and discerning. Help us. Help me. And please do it all for your glory.
I offer all of this to you, submitted to your authority,
In Christ alone, my hope is found He is my light, my strength, my song This Cornerstone, this solid ground Firm through the fiercest drought and storm What heights of love, what depths of peace When fears are stilled, when strivings cease My Comforter, my All in All Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone, who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless babe This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save ‘Til on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay Light of the world by darkness slain Then bursting forth in glorious Day Up from the grave He rose again And as He stands in victory Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me For I am His and He is mine Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life, no fear in death This is the power of Christ in me From life’s first cry to final breath Jesus commands my destiny No power of hell, no scheme of man Can ever pluck me from His hand Till He returns or calls me home Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Dear God, I was in church last night, and this song was one of the hymns we sang. I had a lot of thoughts going through my head while we sang it. I was thinking about political turmoil in our country and how some of your church has chosen to engage in it–wanting power and influence so that your kingdom can come and your will will be done on earth as it is in heaven from the top down. For whatever reason, I thought about the girl who was killed nearly 30 years ago at Columbine High School when the killer asked her if she believed in Jesus and she said yes. That made me think of the man who was healed by Jesus and was being asked by the Pharisees about who healed him and he asked, “Why, do you want to be his disciples too?” All of this was swirling in my head while I read the words Donald Koch and Andrew Craig wrote for this song.
When it comes to what I, as a Christian, am selling to this world, this is my answer. Not that I’m a good salesman, but this is my answer. This song. It’s not saving someone from the threat of hell, although maybe it should be. It’s really not even the opportunity to spend eternity with you, although that is my naivete talking and I’m sure if I really understood how amazing the next realm will be in your presence for eternity then I would only talk about that. But in my head, the message of this song is why I’m here, even in this moment.
So what is this song saying? Well, it’s mainly in the first and fourth verses. The first verse talks about the functionality of being a Christian and the help and peace in can bring me through relationship with and worship of you.
Verse 1:
In Christ alone, my hope is found He is my light, my strength, my song This Cornerstone, this solid ground Firm through the fiercest drought and storm What heights of love, what depths of peace When fears are stilled, when strivings cease My Comforter, my All in All Here in the love of Christ I stand
Verse 4:
No guilt in life, no fear in death This is the power of Christ in me From life’s first cry to final breath Jesus commands my destiny No power of hell, no scheme of man Can ever pluck me from His hand Till He returns or calls me home Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Then verses two and three explain who Jesus is and how he functionally made himself capable of saving me and reconciling me with you.
Verses 3 & 4
In Christ alone, who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless babe This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save ‘Til on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay Light of the world by darkness slain Then bursting forth in glorious Day Up from the grave He rose again And as He stands in victory Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me For I am His and He is mine Bought with the precious blood of Christ
So what do I have in you, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit?
Hope
Light
Strength
Cornerstone (foundation)
Solid ground (build on the rock and not sand)
Love
Peace
Fears stilled
Strivings ceased
Comfort
No guilt in life
No fear in death
And finally, no power of hell or scheme of man can take me from you. One of two things is certain. I will either see you return in my lifetime, or, more likely, you will call me home before your return. Either way, What I’m selling while I am here is the list I just made from verses one and four.
Father, help me to be a better maker of disciples. Help me to know how to invite people into what I have found in you. I woke up with another song going in my head that I remember from the church I used to attend when I lived in a different city: I just want to be with you. So come here and put your arms around me. I just want to love you. So come close and look right at me. So I can look into your eyes. So I can see into your heart. So I can feel you by my side and know that you’re near. One of the things I’ve always liked about that song is that it can be seen as being sung by me or by you. I think you would have those words for me, and sometimes, not frequently enough, I have those words for you. Help me, Father, be exactly who you need me to be.
I pray all of this under your authority and in worship to you,
14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”
17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.
19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”
20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
Matthew 17:14-20
Dear God, first, I want to say that it is always a good time to worship you. It is good for me. It is good for my soul. The Old Testament readings for the Catholic church today are Deuteronomy 6:4-13 (Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength…) and Psalm 18:2-4, 47, and 51 (I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer…). So I want to acknowledge you, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit. My joy comes in the morning. You haven’t called me to wield power over my neighbor and take this land for you. You have called me to love you and love my neighbor. As someone said recently, you have called mem to pray, serve, persuade, and suffer. Those are the four tools Jesus used, and they are the tools you gave me to do your work. Pray, serve, persuade, and suffer. My my entire life be a prayer of worship to you.
With that said, the New Testament reading today struck me because I am about to be part of a board strategy session that will take a large part of the day. We are going to have to make a lot of decisions. We need to be wise and shrewd. We need to be faithful and compassionate. At the same time, we need to be careful to follow your Holy Spirit and not our own egos or ambitions. We need to be about bringing your kingdom and will into the earth through our lives and through our work.
There is a mystery verse 21 that is not in all manuscripts, but I think is important. As Jesus is talking about their lack of faith, he adds a button to the end: “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” That is really going to need to be a part of this too. I’m going to need to pray and fast. Frankly, I wonder if there aren’t a few things in my live through which I need to fast. You know I pray to you about them, but I’ve fasted very infrequently. It might be time for that too.
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I bring you my life. I bring you my soul. I live for you alone. Every breath that I take. Every moment I’m awake. Lord, have your way with me.
I pray all of this submitted to your authority over me,
23 Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25 Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26 Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
John 12:23-26
Dear God, I have a few things on my mind this morning. First, I think I have slipped into an arrogance problem again. I think I’m taking credit for things that are not of me. I’m taking credit, even in my own mind and to myself, for good things I know are from you. I felt like your Holy Spirit nudged me and convicted me of this yesterday. I am truly sorry. And I thank you for the good things in my life. Thank you.
Second, I woke up this morning after a pretty unsettled night’s sleep. The dreams weren’t bad nightmares, but just full of angst and problems. Problems I was supposed to be solving but struggling to. I’ve experienced some of that this week. In fact, as I sit here now, I have thought hard about some problems, but I don’t think I ever once stopped and asked your guidance in finding the solutions you might have for us. I’m very sorry for that too.
Finally, when it comes to this verse, I am, well, I am so grateful that you did what you did, Jesus. I am so glad you gave it all for me. You gave it all so I can be here. You gave it all so I can also be a seed that metaphorically dies so that others might live. If I sacrifice my will then you can use me for them. I read an article this morning about how hot peppers are self-pollinating and bees help them cross pollinate so they can create more creative varieties. Whether I am the seed that needs to die or I am pollen that needs to be spread–whatever it is–Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, use me today.
I pray all of this in the name of the one true Triune God,
Dear God, we jd a scary moment turned sad in church yesterday morning. First, thank you for answering our prayers that it didn’t become scarier. A man in a sleeveless political t-shirt with an angry message on it referencing a politician walked down the middle aisle to the front while the priest was giving his homily. The priest did an excellent job of responding to him in a loving way. The man sat and then after the homily, the priest sat next to him, they visited a second during the offertory and then the man left. A police officer I know who doesn’t go to the church, but who, in my opinion, you providentially placed in the sanctuary that morning, went to visit with the man after that. Crisis over. It was particularly hard for me because my wife was leading singing from the front and I was solidly in the middle of a row in the middle of the sanctuary. I could not get to her to protect her and she was vulnerable. I was very glad the officer was there for that reason too.
So I’m saying all of this because of how I was praying when the man was down front. Because he had his “angry” political shirt, it made me think about how so many have made the government, their political party, or a specific politician their idol. They are looking to that person or entity to meet the needs you designed us to look to you for. Then, when something attacks that idol or the idol is threatened in any way, they get angry. And that anger gets addictive, like a drug. It’s very unfulfilling, but it feels good in the moment, like a drug. So I prayed for this man. I prayed that he would find you as his true God and turn loose of the other gods he’s allowed to take his worship.
Of course, I cannot do this without wondering about my own idols. What do I allow to upset me? In what things do I look for the fruits of the Spirit that will ultimately fail me and let me down. Maybe some family relationships. That’s probably my biggest area. I allow rejection or brokenness between me and some family members to really wreck me sometimes. I start to seek my love, joy, peace, etc. from those things and take my eyes off of you.
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, please reveal a little more of my own heart to me every day. Every hour. Every minute. Show me who you need me to be. Live through me. Use me. Use me in every life, including in the lives of my family.
16 For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes 17 when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” 18 We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.
2 Peter 1:16-19
Dear God, this is an interesting follow-up to what I did yesterday on “The Truth.” That’s what defined Peter’s life. For Peter, I wonder what was the moment he decided Jesus was the Messiah. Was it the moment he was called? The first time he saw a miracle? Finding a gold coin in a fish to pay taxes? The Transfiguration? Did all of that do it, or did all of that crumble and disappear with the crucifixion? Regardless of what happened before the crucifixion, I think it’s obvious that Jesus’s resurrection was the driving force behind the remainder of Peter’s earthly life. Why? Because it was true.
So since I know the truth about you today, what is it you would have me do? Frankly, I find it pretty easy to talk with my friends and acquaintances about my faith. I have a pastor friend that describes it as having a leaky bucket. When you’re full of Jesus, you can’t help but leak it on others. I think I do that to some extent, although I could always do more. Where I’m probably not leaky enough is with those I don’t know who come across my path. Clients at our nonprofit. Servers at restaurants and stores. How would I interact differently with them if I really believed it was true?
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, first, thank you that it is true. Thank you for being who and what you are. Second, Holy Spirit, my counselor, comforter, teacher, healer, and presence of the God of the universe in my soul, please remind me continuously today that it is true. It’s all true. And show me how to offer that truth–the freedom, love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, and self control–that comes from true relationship with you.
This is a four-minute excerpt from the audiobook of Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri
Dear God, my wife played this audio clip for me yesterday. It’s from a book by Daniel Nayeri about his childhood. What makes his life unique and book-worthy? Well, he was an Iranian boy who had to flee to the United States with his mother and sister after his mother became a Christian and her life was in danger. Talk about persecution and giving up your life for your faith, this woman came from a wealthy, well-connected family. She gave it all up because she found Jesus and, to quote Mr. Nayeri’s description:
And here’s the part that’s hard to believe. Zima [sp?], my mom, read about [Jesus] and became a Christian too. Not just a regular one who keeps it in their pocket. She fell in love. She wanted everybody to have what she had. To be free. To realize that in other religions you have rules, and codes, and obligations to follow to earn good things, but all you had to do with Jesus was believe he was the one who died for you. And she believed.
When I tell the story in Oklahoma, this is the part where the grown-ups always interrupt me. They say, “Okay, but why did she convert?” Because up to that point, I’ve told them about the house with the birds in the walls. All the villages my grandfather owned. All the gold. My mom’s own medical practice. All the amazing things she had that we don’t have anymore because she became a Christian. All the money she gave up. So we’re poor now. But I don’t have an answer for them. How can you explain why you believe anything? So I just say what my mom says when people ask her. She looks them in the eye with the begging hope that they’ll hear her, and she says, “Because it’s true.” Why else would she believe it? It’s true and it’s more valuable than $7 million in gold coins, and thousands of acres of Persian countryside, and ten years of education to get a medical degree, and all of your family, and a home, and the best cream puffs of Jolfa [sp?], and even maybe your life. My mom wouldn’t have made the trade otherwise. If you believe it’s true that there’s a God and He wants you to believe in Him, and He sent His Son to die for you then it has to take over your life. It has to be worth more than everything else. Because heaven is waiting on the other side.”
So now I’m left humbled and convicted. What has following you ever really cost me? Maybe some family relationships, but I’m not even convinced that why I lost those relationships. If it is, then it has, indeed, cost me dearly, and I confess that I struggle with that sometimes. I wonder if loving you, following you and worshipping you cost me that and I wonder if I should regret my faith and discipleship. I do wonder sometimes. I’m sorry for that. The good news, I suppose, is that I’m very aware that I would be a mess if you were not my God and I didn’t know you better each day.
Father, this was beautiful. I pray for Mr. Nayeri and his family. Oh, God, please guide him. His mother. His sister. His father back in Iran. Any other family new members that now exist. Please help them to feel your love. Your presence. Your provision. Raise up your Church to love on them. Raise up people who will be your blessing of fruits of the Spirit to them. Please make the truth of who you are a good thing for them. And for all of the pain they have experienced in the past and continue to experience, please make it all count. Don’t let any of it be wasted.
I pray all of this completely submitted to the truth of who you are,
19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
James 1:19-27
Dear God, there is a lot here. I wonder if I should bullet-point these instructions from James:
Slow to speak
Quick to listen
Slow to anger
Get rid of filth/evil
Humbly accept your word
Do what your word says
Control my tongue
Care for orphans and widows
Don’t allow myself to be corrupted
That’s a lot for 9 verses. But I guess it all comes back to the same thing: Find my peace in you and let your Spirit flow through me. If the fruits of the Spirit are growing in me then I will care more about others than I care about myself. In the words of Ted Lasso, I will learn to be curious, not judgmental. I will listen. I will replace a lot of my anger with sympathy and empathy. Of course, I will hear your word and obey it. And I will keep myself from corruption because I won’t be looking for selfish gain.
Father, I adore you. I lay my life before you. How I love you. Jesus, I adore you. I lay my life before you. How I love you. Spirit, I adore you. I lay my life before you. How I love you.
I pray all of this submitted to your authority over me,
