Dear God, the funeral yesterday was lovely. My wife commented it was the best funeral sermon she’s ever heard. The main thrust of the comforting part of the message was that a few days before she died the pastor, who was the woman’s brother-in-law, asked her if there was anything she had to say. She had to go to a lot of effort to say the words, “It’s not fair.” Then the pastor related that emotion even to Jesus on the cross and his feeling of abandonment. This is a weird existence we have. And yeah, sometimes it doesn’t seem fair. But as we were told over and over again as children, even though none of us want to believe it, life isn’t fair.
Speaking of Jesus on the cross, let’s see what the passages are today from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer.
AM Psalm: 119:145-176
PM Psalms: 128, 129, 130
Jeremiah 25:30-38
John 10:1-18
Romans 10:14-21
Psalm 119:145-176 – This psalm reminds me of the error I sometimes make that I can bargain with you. “God, if I do this will you do that?” That is a pretty Pagan, idolatrous way of looking at you. Like I can own you and bargain with you. Like you are somehow subject to my demands. Can I pray to you for outcomes? Of course. But the idea that, well, going back to the funeral yesterday, life should be fair at all–that I deserve whatever I deem fairness to be–is simply making you in a small god, and the God.
Psalms 128, 128, 130 – Of these three, 130 is my favorite. It’s not expecting or asking anything of you but mercy and forgiveness. I think the psalms of lament full of repentance and then the ones that are just pure worship are my favorite. Most of the others bother me a little theologically.
Jeremiah 25:30-38 – This is pretty grim prophecy. It’s no wonder the people of the time embraced the false prophets instead. In the end, I suppose, the run of the mill Jewish person didn’t need to know this prophecy except to ultimately learn that you were using this pain to call people back to you. At this point, there was nothing they could do to stop it. They just had to live their lives each day. Make a decision to worship you regardless of their circumstances. Father, help me to always worship you, regardless of my circumstances.
John 10:1-18 – Jesus, thank you. I still don’t totally understand the lines between praying to the Father, you, or the Holy Spirit, but I know that I am grateful you are my shepherd. I am grateful you love me with the Father’s love because you and the Father are one. I am grateful you teach me through what is recorded of your words and actions. I am grateful for your reconciliation between the Father and me. Between you and me. Between the Holy Spirit and me. Thank you for being my good shepherd.
Romans 10:14-21 – Verse 21 from Paul to the Romans is powerful: “But concerning Israel he says, ‘All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient people.'” Thank you for continuing to hold out your hands to me.
I offer all of these thoughts and prayers to you in Jesus Christ, and with your Holy Spirit,
Dear God, I have a funeral to attend today. It’s one of those where I know the husband pretty well, and while it will be hard and sad to say goodbye to his dear wife, it will be a privilege to be there for him and his children. Please live through me today, Father. Live through me today with my wife, with my work, with my children, and with my friends. “Break me, melt me, mold me, fill me. Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.”
Psalms 121, 122, 123 – I had two thoughts while I read these psalms this morning. The first was about a workshop I went to yesterday about mental health needs and resources in our community. Our children are struggling. Our children need help. Those who care for them need help. Their parents. Their teachers. Their church youth workers and Sunday school teachers. There is a lot of pain, and the church actually has the answer, but I fear that they American Evangelical church is offering the wrong answer right now. It is offering more rules. It’s not offering what Jesus taught us to offer. Oh, Father, help us offer you to them. Reconciliation to you. Freedom in you. And when I say them, I mean not only the children, but their parents, teachers, youth leaders, and Sunday school teachers.
My other through was from what David said in 122: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD.'” I just picture the scene of one of David’s friends, advisors, confidants, or whatever talking with him and saying, “Let’s go to the house of the LORD,” and David lighting up with that idea. It paints a great scene.
Psalms 124, 125, 126 – From this group, I am reminded of how you provide for me personally and the nonprofit where I work. One of our current campaigns is not going well, and there is a tendency in my heart to panic. But I have to ask myself the questions: Am I trusting in you in this moment? Have I taken too much credit for what has come before? Oh, Father, if I have taken any credit for the good you have done to our clinic, please let me know. If I am not trusting you enough, I am sorry. I do trust you, oh God. I repent of attaching my ego to our fundraising success. I am sorry.
Jeremiah 25:8-17 – As I was flipping through Jeremiah today and remembering how long the book is, it just made me think about this poor prophet’s life. There was no “best life now” for him except that he got to live in your presence and hear directly from you. But I would imagine that his daily check-in with friends on his emotional health would not have been filled with much good news. I am unbelievably fortunate to live the life I live.
John 9:18-41 – Reading the story of the blind man healed and the Pharisees being so upset about it makes me think about how all of us in the church can get focused on the wrong priorities–including me. Holy Spirit, please speak to me. Teach me. Give me ears to hear and eyes to see.
Romans 10:1-13 – I just have to reprint verses 1-4 here: Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. I seem to be coming back to this theme this morning. Perhaps it is my own biases that are bringing me here, but I am simply concerned about some in your church who are acting like Pharisees but can’t see it. Holy Spirit, help me to hear you clearly, repent where I need to repent and then act when I need to act. And let anything I do be done in your love.
I offer all of this to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,
Dear God, one thing I have NOT liked about going through this devotional book for the last 34 days is that it has taken away some of the flexibility in the approaches I sometimes take with these times with you. Like yesterday, we sang this lovely song in church. I took a picture of the page in the hymnal so I could remember it for later and look at it later. It’s the kind of thing I might have focused on this morning to help keep these times with you fresh. Now, as I’ve done this 34 days in a row and I have 13 days left I am finding myself not as enthusiastic as I was at the beginning of this seasonal commitment. But then again, maybe that’s also part of this journey. Getting beyond the emotion of it and pushing through. Finding you when my enthusiasm isn’t there. Disciplining myself to submit to you and hear from you.
Speaking of hearing from you, I think I heard from you this morning. I have a complicated thing to deal with from my work, and I felt like you gave me a word about that this morning. Thanks for that too.
Psalm 31 – What strikes me here is how down David could feel. I’ve said this before, but I’ve had people read my prayer journals and ask if I’m doing okay. What I tell them is I’m normally doing just fine, but some of this pain is inside me and it comes out through these prayers to you. It’s nice to be reminded that David himself, the most revered king in Israel’s history, felt this way often. I’m so impressed that he was vulnerable enough to share it in this way.
Psalm 35 – When I see these psalms of David where he is wishing ill on his enemies and claiming himself to be innocent, I am now experiencing them in a different way since I first discovered this concept a month ago. The concept is to think about David writing these words on behalf of Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband whom he murdered. David was not alone in his life as a victim. And his abusers were not alone in their lives as abusers. We are all in both camps: abusers and victims. And when I say abuser, I’m not talking about child abuse, sexual abuse or things that are that heinous. I just mean people who sometimes either accidentally or intentionally cause harm to others. We all do that.
Jeremiah 24:1-10 – I would imagine the people being exiled were desperate in that moment. Downtrodden. Forlorn. But you were working it for their good. You were using it to refine them.
John 9:1-17 – It seems like Jesus did these things on the Sabbath intentionally. And maybe not. Maybe he healed so many people on the other six days it didn’t get mentioned, but the Sabbath healings always caused a stir. Either way, the Pharisees were split on who Jesus was. I would imagine Nicodemus was in the “Jesus is Messiah” camp. Your current church is split on so many issues. Oh, Holy Spirit, make us one. As Jesus and you and the Father are one.
Romans 9:19-33 – Paul’s words at the beginning of this passage, right after talking about you choosing to show your mercy to this one or that one, remind me of the lesson Job learned by the end of his story. Who am I to question you. You are God and I am not. They will be done.
I offer all of these prayers to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,
Dear God, I’m here to worship this morning. There are so many things running around in my head. It’s Sunday morning, so there are a couple of church things running around in my head. Then there’s some work stress. Then there’s family stuff. I’m still mourning the loss of a friend and thinking about her family. But in the midst of all of this, what I need to do is worship you. “Oh, God, you are my God, and I will ever praise you. I will seek you in the morning. And I will learn to walk in your ways. And step by step you’ll lead me. And I will follow you all of my days.” (Step by Step by Rich Mullins and Beaker) Lead me this day, Father. Step by step.
Psalm 118 – It ends the same way it began. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever” Lots of stuff in the middle, but this is the truth that bookends my life.
Psalm 145 – Lord, let me be someone in this generation who will commend you and your works to the next generation.
Jeremiah 23:16-32 – Oh, please help me not be someone who speaks and teaches things that are against you. Keep me from error and heresy. And give me the courage to speak against heresy when I see it. But please make my words align with your truth. Do not do anything false in me.
John 8:31-9:1 – Such a provocative scene between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. It’s almost hard to read.
1 Corinthians 9:19-27 – Oh, Lord, help me to run this race. Help me to carry your message of reconciliation between us and yourself to everyone around me.
I offer all of these prayers to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,
Dear God, I’m working a little faster this morning so I’m going to jump right into the scriptures. I just want you to know really quick that I love you, I am grateful for you, I am humbled before you, and I am sorry for the times when my selfishness overrides everything else. Thank you for your love, grace, and mercy.
Here are the passages today from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer.
AM Psalms: 102, 108
PM Psalm: 33
Jeremiah 23:9-15
John 6:60-71
Romans 9:1-18
Psalms 102, 108 – I like the juxtaposition of a psalm of lament and a psalm of worship. While I don’t feel lament in this moment, I have certainly felt it this week. It’s been a hard week. At the same time, I was worshipping you as well. Oh, keep me in a heart of worship, even in my times of lament.
Jeremiah 23:9-15 – Father, there are people in my community (not pastors) who I think are lying prophets, but I am not 100% sure I am right. Speak to me and inspire me, Holy Spirit. Speak to me and inspire me to do what you want me to do. Correct me when I’m wrong. Encourage me when I’m right. And always fill me with a spirit of your love. Let me always communicate love.
John 6:60-71 – Still finishing up the sifting of the disciples story. Jesus not only speaks of Judas in verse 70, but I think he is speaking to Judas. He knows Judas is struggling with what he just heard. He knows it’s bringing up anger and disappointment in him. Oh, Father, let me never be driven to sin out of my disappointment in you.
Romans 9:1-18 – There are parts of this passage that are hard to read. Oh, thank you for grafting my branch to your vine.
Dear God, there is something to be said for sisters. I was able to have a great visit with my sister yesterday to talk through some of the things with which I was struggling. It was good to have someone who has known me my whole life and has history with some of the things that were bothering me. I was very grateful to have her yesterday. Thank you for that relationship in my life.
One of the families I’ve been praying for where one of the spouses is sick had to be put on hospice yesterday. They expect her to pass by the end of the week. I’ll say that their son’s birthday is in a couple of days. Please don’t let it happen on his birthday. But comfort them. Love them. Knit them together. Strongly support her, her husband who adores her, and her children who love her. Oh, Holy Spirit, please be very present with them and pray to the Father for them.
Here are the verse from Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer for today.
AM Psalms: 101, 109
PM Psalm: 119:121-144
Jeremiah 18:1-11
John 6:27-40
Romans 8:1-11
Psalms 101, 109 – First, I want to stop and remember why I am doing this Lenten series in the first place. I want to really sink into this experience of Jesus doing what he did for me. For us. I want to really meditate on that and appreciate it. Next, I want to just say that Psalm 109 is an example of one of those psalms where I appreciate what David is feeling, but I wouldn’t take this as prescriptive from you. It might be descriptive of his experience, and I appreciate the vulnerability of him writing this down and articulating it so well. Also that he shared it so that others would see it. But it’s hard to read in light of Jesus and the New Covenant he brought us.
Jeremiah 18:1-11 – I am so glad I had the Bible in a Year podcast two years ago to help me understand Jeremiah more. And the analogy here is powerful. The potter with the clay. I am very malformed. You are constantly remaking me into your image. Oh, help me, Lord, to be in your image.
John 6:27-40 – Jesus was who he said he was. I would not have believed it then, but I believe it now. I’m so grateful to be alive now and not then.
Romans 8:1-11 – Holy Spirit, live in me. I know you do, but there are times when I crowd you out with my own selfishness and sinful nature. Live in me. I make you welcome here. Jesus, thank you for breaking any condemnation from the Father onto me. Thank you for your life, death, and resurrection.
And now as I go into this day, walk with me, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Help me to take you to others. Help me to love others. Help me to bring you everything that I think is mine and lay it at the foot of your cross. And help me to know how to love this family who is losing their precious wife and mother.
I offer all of this to you in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,
Dear God, my heart is incredibly heavy this morning. I learned some truths last night that I’m still trying to process. How could this have happened. To some extent, I think I feel let down by you as well, but I’m not sure. A couple of really important good things happened in the midst of all of the terrible. I don’t know. I apparently made a huge mistake that I prayed through at the time and since then. Did you lead me the wrong way? Did I not hear you correctly? I know I’m not the start of the current pain being experienced, but I now understand in a new way the role I played in contributing to it and making it greater. I know that anyone who reads these prayers I make to you doesn’t know what I’m talking about, and I have to keep this publicly vague to protect the privacy of others, but I didn’t want to not be transparent about the raw emotions I’m currently feeling.
With that said, I’m really hoping to find something in the scriptures that Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer.
AM Psalms – 97, 99, 100
PM Psalms – 94, 95
Jeremiah 17:19-27
John 6:16-27
Romans 7:13-25
Psalms 97, 99, 100 – After reading these three psalms together, the last line of Psalm 100 is what sticks with me (maybe because I was distracted while I was reading them): For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Oh, LORD, please be good in my situation. Let your faithfulness continue through all generations.
Jeremiah 17:19-27 – I’ve tried to do better about having a day of rest when it comes to the Sabbath, but I could certainly be more intentional. But I also wonder how much this passage is about loving you and leading by example.
John 6:16-27 – The people wanted to know how you, Jesus, got to the other side, but you ignored that question and told them a truth about themselves. Holy Spirit, help me to ask the right questions and pursue the right answers.
Romans 7:13-25 – This whole thing about my sin nature, doing what I don’t want to do and not doing what I want to do . Yeah. I feel that.
Father, show me your path for me today. Please, show me your path.
I offer this to you in Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit,
Dear God, I want to start again by praying for my couple friend where the wife is very sick. I spent a lot of time praying for them last night during a sweet worship service at our church. Oh, Father, please be merciful. Oh, Jesus, please be merciful. Oh, Holy Spirit, please be merciful. Show their friends and family how to love them. Heal her. Give her strength. Support him. Give him strength. Support their children. Give them strength. Father, show me what you would have me to do for them.
While I am here, I have the three women who work with me who were pregnant. Two have now had their babies and one is still due in September. Please take care of all three mothers and their babies. And prepare their siblings for their new roles and big brothers. And for my friend pregnant with triplets, please protect her babies and her. Please protect all of them.
Psalm 89 – Wow, this really took a turn. It was all happy and worshipful until verse 38 when it starts talking about you forsaking David. Was this during Absalom’s uprising? I don’t know. But it’s interesting. Of course, you never broke your promise to David. It just didn’t look like it in the moment. We can almost never see what you are doing in the moment.
Jeremiah 16:10-21 – I heard Father Mike Schmitz point out one time that after the exile, the Israelites really didn’t have a problem with idol worship anymore. Yes, the Pharisees were very legalistic by the time Jesus came along, but (and this is me, not Father Schmitz, talking) this almost seems like a kickback reaction to the Israelites being unfaithful and exiled. An accepting of the words of prophets like Jeremiah by them generations later.
John 6:1-15 – I wish we knew more about Andrew. It seems like every story about him is sweet and positive. I need to spend some more time with him at some point. In this story, he is the one who found the boy with the bread and the fish. He didn’t know how it could work, but he somehow saw the potential in it when the others saw impossibility. I think back to Andrew following John the Baptist and switching to Jesus. I think about him recruiting his brother Peter. I think about how brothers can often be opposites, and these two seem like opposites. Yeah, I like Andrew a lot.
Romans 7:1-12 – I wonder what Paul coveted. Much like I know the vices of my heart, Paul knew the vices of his own heart, and here he reveals that coveting was high on his list of personal vices. I also read this and think about someone I know who walked away from you because they decided it was easier to get rid of the “rule maker” to deal with the guilt of their sin rather than address it and accept your grace for themself.
Father, as I get ready to go into this day, help me to walk with your grace. Help me to remember the suffering of those around me, pray for them, and then serve in some way. I worship you as my Lord and my God.
I offer this prayer to you in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,
Dear God, I actually finished a book yesterday. You know I don’t spend tons of time reading whole books, but this one had some theology in it that I suspected I would disagree with (and I was right). I read it because some people I respect really liked the book so I wanted to be informed as to what it was saying and the arguments it made. I am hopeful that i will be able to discuss it with my friends so that they can explain what they see in it that I don’t, and then maybe I can share some of my perspective. Maybe neither of us are all right or all wrong. Where can we learn from each other? I pray this will go well.
While I am thinking about prayers, I just learned that a friend is expecting triplets. Oh, please protect the women I know who are currently pregnant (there are three of them). One is imminently due, the triplets are due this summer and one is due in September. Please be with all of them. Be with their babies. Be with the fathers of the children too. Protect their lives. These are all wanted children. Wrap them all up in your love. Bring yourself into their lives. Help them to all seek you.
And while I’m praying for others and the health of others, I have another couple friend where the wife is struggling against cancer. Oh, Father, have mercy. Oh, Jesus, have mercy. Oh, Holy Spirit, have mercy. Heal. Comfort. Strengthen. My prayers seem so feeble. I believe. Help my unbelief.
And then I have a friend who is really struggling with his marriage. Speak to him. Guide him. Guide his wife. Be with their children. Marriage can be hard. Bring people to them who can be your words, your comfort, and your joy.
Finally, I have another unpleasant project to do today. I’ll keep it vague as I type here, but you know what I mean. Help me to learn from it, change from it, and be more loving after having experienced it. Bring good from it, please.
Psalms 66, 67 – These are just two nice, straight ahead, worshipful psalms. The first one made me think of the song “Shout to the Lord.” The second one reminded me of “The Blessing” which really touched me when different people from the UK recorded it for the world. I know that text is actually from Number 26, but this psalm starts that way as well. In fact, I just kept it running while I type this. I remember 2020 as such a surreal time. Scared. At home. A sense of isolation. Significant problems to solve. Prayer walks around our local hospital. Changes to how we functioned at work. But there were beautiful expressions of your love like this song as well. If those who are hurting in the world had only seen these types of expressions of your love during that dark time, how would they have responded to you and to your Church? But too many started fighting for the Church’s rights to assemble, not wear masks, or whatever else they decided to be angry about. It did nothing to be your witness to this world or comfort it during a scary time. Instead, the Church just looked like any other group looking for power and influence.
Psalm 19, 46 – Just a few lines from Psalm 19 that touch me this morning: The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The things you have given us to do. The “rules” to obey. They aren’t arbitrary. They aren’t for your kicks so that we will be good rule followers. They are for us. Following them leads us to joy in our hearts. They make us wise. They give us light. The other line from Psalm 19 that is great is, “Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.” And then, “Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.” I know I have faults that are hidden from me. I know I have sin I commit that I don’t think is sin or I don’t want to admit is sin. Holy Spirit, please continue to work with my heart.
Jeremiah 14: 1-9, 17-22 – What is the best way to bring a nation to repentance? That seems to be the question Christians are asking each other. Some are answering that we need to be a force for repentance. We need to force those who are doing what we think are wrong to repent and agree with us. Others will say that we need to completely love and accept everyone and then let you work on their hearts individually. Still others say we need to just work on ourselves in the church and become as Christlike as possible and then let the church grow organically from there. Personally, I agree with some of those perspectives more than others.
Mark 8:11-21 – The yeast of the Pharisees. I started to write what I think it is, but then I deleted it. What exactly do I think the yeast of the Pharisees is? I’ve already admitted that, had I been there at the time, I would not have believed Jesus was the Messiah. So does that mean I have their yeast in my heart too? First, Jesus was critical that the Pharisees had become so legalistic that they couldn’t see what you were calling them to do at any given time–particularly in loving others and having mercy. They were superior. Harsh. Egotistical. Judgmental. Hateful. Jesus said that we should not judge. We should serve our neighbors and love them as ourselves. We should forgive easily. We should humble ourselves.
Galatians 4:21-5:1 – I’ve got to say, I don’t care for Paul’s analogy here. Hagar was ultimately freed, as was Ishmael. I need someone more educated than me to explain this to me theologically. I think Paul is encouraging them to be free from their sin, selfishness, and shame through Jesus. That’s great. I don’t like the Hagar and Ishmael comparison, but maybe I’m wrong and that’s just me because I came to like Hagar when I read closely about her in Genesis.
Father, I offer this fourth Sunday of Lent to you. Help me to accomplish the things you have for me to accomplish. Do it for the good of my soul, the good for the souls of those I love, and for your glory.
Dear God, I went with my wife last night to a presentation of “God’s Megaphone: A Visit with C.S. Lewis” by Steven Fenley at our local community theater. It was terrific and inspired me to get back into some of Mr. Lewis’s writings and also some of my own projects that are related to his work.
Of course, it started with The Problem of Pain, which Lewis called God’s megaphone to us. Then it went from there touching on a number of his works including The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity, and others. I’m so glad I went. Thank you for last night.
Now, as far as today goes, I am delighted to be here continue my Lenten journey using Sacred Invitation: Lenten Devotions Inspired by the Book of Common Prayer. Okay. You know that isn’t true. I’m not really delighted. It’s Saturday morning, and I’m feeling a little slothful. I’d love to kick back, make myself a big breakfast, and then watch some YouTube videos or find another way to just disengage my mind and “veg out.” But I know I need you. I know I need this. I’ve made this commitment to do this before I do anything else to start my day, so here I am. I know I need you. I know I need to worship you. I know it’s for my good. And it has been for my good over these previous 24 days. So I embrace it now, and, even as I finish typing this paragraph, am finding myself ready to connect with the Holy Spirit within me and spend some time with you.
AM Psalms: 87, 90
PM Psalm: 136
Jeremiah 13:1-11
John 8:47-59
Romans 6:12-23
Psalms 87, 90 – “I will record Rahab and Babylon among those who acknowledge me–Philisita too, and Tyre, along with Cush–and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion'” Yes, Father, thanks to you, I am born in Zion. I was listening to Mr. Fenley’s C.S. Lewis presentation I mentioned earlier last night, and he mentioned there are all of these little references wrapped throughout the Old Testament referring to the idea that one day your Kingdom will be for the Gentiles too. And then I get this passage from Psalm 87 this morning. Yes, through Jesus, I was born in Zion as well. Thank you! And I have to mention Psalm 90 since it is a psalm of Moses and mentions how fleeting our lives are. Moses gave up a comfortable life twice for the people of Israel. Once when he was 40 when he made a mistake but for the right reason and once when he was 80 and he responded to your call. His days were not easy, but you used him. Use me, Father, however you will.
Psalm 136 – What strikes me about this is the record of everything you have done to bless Israel. The recounting of your glory and provision. I need to do this more. I need to reflect more on everything you have done for me. Your love endures forever.
Jeremiah 13:1-11 – I have two thoughts about this story. One, you gave Jeremiah these instructions one at a time. He was ignorant of the next step until you told him what the next step was. His task was to just be obedient in the next thing you were telling him to do regardless of why or how much he understood. The second is the obvious. You were there with the Israelites. It’s obvious you hadn’t left because you were still there talking to Jeremiah and giving him to them as a prophet, but you were useless to them because their lives and decisions had made you useless. Oh, help me to not render you useless in my life.
John 8:47-59 – Following up on the passage from Jeremiah, this line from Jesus strikes me: “My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him.” At this point in their lives, you were among them and with them, but you were useless to them because they could not see you and did not know you. Oh, Father, help me to know you as much as is humanly possible.
Romans 6:12-23 – This passages brings it all home for my Lenten journey. I am only able to be here this morning because of what Jesus did. I am here because you sent a piece of your nature here to earth to live as fully man and fully God, teach me, die, and the come back to life. And to go back to Lewis, I cannot believe that the resurrection didn’t happen without discounting the entire Jesus story. He was either liar, lunatic, or Lord. Jesus, you are Lord.
Father, I thank you. I worship you. I submit myself to you. Make me salt in your world. Make me a source of love in your world. Oh, Lord, show me what to do one step at a time. Keep me ignorant if my knowledge and human wisdom will get in your way.
I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,p
Emails to God 