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MEDITATION:

Written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), a German pastor, theologian, author, anti-Nazi dissident and founding member of the Confessing Church. This is an excerpt from his book “Life Together.”

If we do not give thanks daily for the Christian fellowship in which we have been placed, even where there is no great experience, no discoverable riches, but much weakness, small faith, and difficulty; if on the contrary, we only keep complaining to God that everything is so paltry and petty, so far from what we expected, then we hinder God from letting our fellowship grow according to the measure and riches which are there for us all in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER:

Written by Meg Bucher, a contemporary writer and teacher.

Father in Heaven, Abba, Yahweh, who delights in His children. Jesus, Messiah, who calls us friends. Holy Spirit, gift from above and constant companion. Glory be to the One True, Triune, God! You know when we are lost, Lord. You found us, heaped in our own motivations and confused by worldly principles. You rescued us, defeating death on the cross and rising to sit at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Your reach into our everyday lives, our messy circumstances, forever changes us. Not one day of our lives is more or less important. No one person more or less loved. In Your perfect way, You hold the world in balance and our souls in tune. You hear every voice, every prayer, every cry, and every shout of praise, simultaneously and always! Your ways are not our ways, but oh, God… please lead us in Your purpose for our lives. Let Your glory, Light, and Living Water flow from our lives. May all who know us feel the love You have for all …and the care in which You save the lost. Jesus, in Your Powerful Name we pray, Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Cortland Myers (1864-1941), a pastor and author.

The finest china in the world is burned at least three times, some of it more than three times. Dresden china is always burned three times. Why does it go through that intense fire? Once ought to be enough; twice ought to be enough. No, three times are necessary to burn that china so that the gold and the crimson are brought out more beautiful and then fastened there to stay. We are fashioned after the same principle in human life. Our trials are burned into us once, twice, thrice; and by God’s grace these beautiful colors are there, and they are there to stay forever.

PRAYER:

Written by Brennan Manning (1934-2013), American author, laicized priest, and public speaker. This is an excerpt from this book “Reflections for Ragamuffins.”

What the world longs for from the Christian religion is the witness of men and women daring enough to be different, humble enough to make mistakes, wild enough to be burned in the fire of love, real enough to make others see how unreal they are. Jesus, son of the living God, anoint us with fire this day. Let your Word not shine in our hearts, but let it burn. Let there be no division, compromise, or holding back. Separate the mystics from the romantics, and goad us to that dare-devil leap into the abyss of your love.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Jonathan Petersen, contemporary writer and content manager for Bible Gateway.

On a hillside, possibly in the Korazim Plateau in northern Israel near the Sea of Galilee, Jesus began his Sermon on the Mount—the term first used by the 4th/5th century theologian, Augustine—with a grouping of virtues we know as the Beatitudes, in which he repeatedly emphasized the Greek word makarios, meaning “blessed (receiving God’s favor), fortunate, good (in a position of favor), happy (feelings associated with receiving God’s favor) … Makarios is a state of existence in relationship to God in which a person is ‘blessed’ from God’s perspective even when he or she doesn’t feel happy or isn’t presently experiencing good fortune. Negative feelings, absence of feelings, or adverse conditions cannot take away the blessedness of those who exist in relationship with God…Dr. Tony Evans calls the Sermon on the Mount Jesus’ kingdom manifesto. He says, “We could call the Beatitudes antibiotics from God’s pharmacy that can aid life transformation. They are a reminder that Jesus is primarily concerned with what’s happening on your inside, which should be the basis of what you’re showing on the outside.” The beatitudes are blessings Jesus pronounced on the most unlikely of people—the poor, the hungry, the meek—as the kingdom of God was arriving in his ministry. The opposite of curses, blessings are the bestowment of favor, mercy, and protection upon a person, resulting in that person’s happiness and feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment, and fulfillment…The Beatitudes describe the blessedness of those who have certain qualities or experiences that identify people belonging to the kingdom of heaven. “In the Beatitudes Jesus announces that God’s values are often radically different from the world’s. God will bless those who pursue the ethics of his kingdom and choose to put him first over the things of this world…We must recognize that the sermon is directed to the disciples and through them to the whole church today. The sermon addresses both inward motives and outward conduct. These legitimate demands are so strict that no one can completely obey them, and we are therefore driven to the grace and mercy of God. In some cases Jesus uses obviously intentional exaggeration to illustrate the absolute requirements of God’s law…The kingdom of God “belongs to those who know they have no resources, material or spiritual, to help themselves before God. These are the “poor” to whom Jesus has come to announce “good news” and to whom the kingdom of heaven belongs. Jesus teaches that the norm of the kingdom of heaven is spiritual bankruptcy, unlike the spiritual self-sufficiency that was characteristic of the religious leaders. Jesus’ disciples will experience their most complete personal fulfillment as they draw on the resources of the kingdom of heaven to guide their lives. Character is the identity of who we are, but conduct is what we do… Character comes first and conduct flows from it. Behavior follows belief. The Beatitudes display the beauty of kingdom life.

PRAYER:

Written by Paul Carr, a contemporary British minister and writer.

Gracious God, you have so richly blessed us with life,
with love and joy, with hope in the midst of despair.
Help us to be the salt of the earth. Help us to be the light of the world, sharing with others that which we have received, boldly proclaiming the good news of your love, finding the seeds of your kingdom within us and letting your way grow in our lives and throughout the world. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Os Hillman, a contemporary speaker, author, and consultant on faith at work.

None of us are immune from making poor choices in our lives. David made a number of seemingly minor choices that snowballed into an avalanche of suffering, shame and tragedy. It started when he chose to stay at home in Jerusalem instead of going out to lead his troops into battle, as was his duty. David had too much time on his hands, which ultimately led to him committing adultery with Bathsheba and trying to cover up that sin with murder. So God sent the prophet Nathan to tell King David a story: “There were two men in a town, one rich, one poor. The rich man had many sheep and cattle. The poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he raised like one of the family. The ewe lamb shared the man’s food, drank from his cup, and slept in his arms. One day, when the rich man had a guest to entertain, he didn’t want to slaughter any of his own sheep or cattle, so he took the poor man’s lamb, killed it, and prepared it as a feast for his guest.” David responded: “The rich man deserves death!” he said. “He must pay the man four times the value of the lamb, because he did an unjust thing and had no compassion!” Then Nathan turned to King David and said, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in His eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own!'” To his credit, David confessed and repented of his sins, and God forgave him. God’s forgiveness restores the broken relationship between Himself and sinner, but forgiveness can’t make everything exactly as it was. Sin has consequences that forgiveness cannot change. David had consequences he had to live with for the rest of his life.

PRAYER:

Written by Richard John Neuhaus (1936-2009), a Christian cleric and writer.

Lord Jesus Christ, like the centurion’s servant, we are in distress. Save us from the sin of presumption and complaint, for we have no claim on your love other than the promise that you love us. Purge us, cleanse us, empty us, open us, so that our every moment becomes a gift in response to your gift of life eternal, beginning now.  Amen. Let it be.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Os Hillman, a contemporary speaker, author, and consultant on faith at work.

The apostle Paul had a tent-making business. However, over time, it was evident that more and more of his time was being given to vocational ministry activities. That required him to receive income from those to whom he invested his life. It became increasingly difficult to run a business and travel and minister. His letter to the Philippians (Philippians 4:14-19) gives us a perspective on giving. Although Paul appreciated the support financially, his real joy came in the fact that their gift was being credited to their Heavenly account. Paul had a confidence that God would always provide what he needed. Sometimes it came from his business. Sometimes it came through others. He was not overly concerned with where his provision would come from. His confidence was in God, his provider. So, his attitude was in affirming the benefit that came to the giver from a Kingdom perspective. Paul learned that it wasn’t a church or a business that was his provider. It was God. These were merely tools God used to support him.

PRAYER:

Written by John Birch, a contemporary author on Celtic and other prayer.

Bless the givers,

eyes open

for those in need

of prayer,

encouragement,

support,

a little time,

the gift of love.

In the act of giving

and receiving

may both be blessed. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Amanda Idleman, a contemporary author.

Adventure is in all of us. Some can tap into it more than others. Some have buried it deep down inside. Some miss it. Some try to only live it. Adventure, fun, wanderlust, whatever you want to call it, is innate in us humans. If it wasn’t, then we wouldn’t see it calling out to us everywhere. Movies, shows, video games, and books all take us on rides and keep us coming back for more. Think of the most popular releases in those categories. They all deliver wonderfully on the cathartic and vicarious experience that we all actually crave.  Stories are filled with whimsical romance that take us on the emotionally appealing rollercoaster of love, and they leave us wishing we could be the one in the story. Action and fantasy movies alike fill our eyes and minds with such realistic graphics depicting character-defining missions of courage in outer space or on the ocean blue. Video games, where we actually make the decisions and control characters, are immensely alluring and leave us feeling especially connected to the character we’ve built.  Social media paints a picture of joy and adventure, just out of our own reach. In one post, we see another exiting a wooden bungalow set amongst perfectly blue water to swim with their own dolphin; in the next, they are driving a stylish Jeep Wrangler Rubicon through a rainforest to spend a night in a private tree house where toucans bring them fresh melon.  Then, the movie ends, and the lights come on. You finish the book. The game is over. You’re too jealous of the Instagram post, so you put down your phone. Reality comes back like a rushing wind to remind you that you are not the main character in the story. You’re not even in the story. You’re not living anything close to the story.  Postmodernism tries to stall this reality check. We are in an era of giving into our desires and truly wandering off The Path. Postmodernism says, do what you want, do you, give in to the hedonistic lifestyle, and live free. The world has been inundated with self-help books that focus on you. You are the answer. You can do it. You come first. This is one reason we have failing marriages; spouses want that thrill, that adventure, and instead of working to rekindle that feeling, they take the easy way out and into another’s arms.  The problem is all of this: movies, books, games, and social media. They all skew our expectations. Media has numerous time jumps that leave out the material that we would connect with. Superhero movies are entertaining, but when they skip from the war room final plan discussion to the final battle, they leave out the 24-hour plane ride it takes to get there, in which they forgot to pack enough food, get a little cranky, Captain America eats all the protein bars and gets a little gassy.  The Instagram post of someone riding free in the new Wrangler doesn’t include anything about the massive debt they got in just to obtain the thing and the many, many mosquito bites they suffered staying in the rainforest treetop chalet. It’s not that life is terribly mundane and boring. On the contrary, life is full of amazing daily experiences, but our reference has been skewed and needs a bit of calibration. Remember, we are made in God’s image, and if we have this innate sense of adventure, it’s not an accident. It represents a trait of our God. He likes adventure, fun, miracles, and cool stories…While we are the focus of God’s love, we must remember that this Earth was not created so we can all be the center of attention. This masterfully written story is about Him reconciling with His lost children. Those of us that accept His son’s sacrifice aren’t thrust onto center stage. We now get to join our dad on His great mission. When we live lives with a Heaven-centered view, all we do is unto the Lord. Suddenly, nurturing our families, cooking dinner, and serving in our job come with a Kingdom purpose! The adventure of living as strangers in this world, serving God, and pointing all that we love back to him is unending and a part of everything we do.

PRAYER:

Written by Richard of Chichester (1197-1253) was an English priest and later elected as the Bishop of Chichester, but Henry III would not recognize him.

Awaken, O Lord Jesus, our hearts and minds to your presence in the world of your love’s creating. Forbid that we should stumble through this day oblivious to the wonder in the ordinary. With your grace, startle us into faith’s perception of your continuing creation in our lives. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by L.B. Cowman (1870-1960), an American author. This is an excerpt from her book “Glimpses Through Life’s Windows.”

There is a poem called “The Changed Cross.” It represents a weary one who thought that her cross was surely heavier than those of others whom she saw about her, and she wished that she might choose another instead of her own. She slept, and in her dream she was led to a place where many crosses lay, crosses of different shapes and sizes. There was a little one most beauteous to behold, set in jewels and gold. “Ah, this I can wear with comfort,” she said. So she took it up, but her weak form shook beneath it. The jewels and the gold were beautiful, but they were far too heavy for her. Next, she saw a lovely cross with fair flowers entwined around its sculptured form. Surely that was the one for her. She lifted it, but beneath the flowers were piercing thorns which tore her flesh. At last, as she went on, she came to a plain cross, without jewels, without carvings, with only a few words of love inscribed upon it. This she took up and it proved the best of all, the easiest to be borne. And as she looked upon it, bathed in the radiance that fell from Heaven, she recognized her own old cross. She had found it again, and it was the best of all and lightest for her. God knows best what cross we need to bear. We do not know how heavy other people’s crosses are. We envy someone who is rich; his is a golden cross set with jewels, but we do not know how heavy it is. Here is another whose life seems very lovely. She bears a cross twined with flowers. If we could try all the other crosses that we think lighter than our own, we would at last find that not one of them suited us so well as our own.

PRAYER:

Written by Paige Deane, a contemporary author.

Lord, you are so good to me. I don’t deserve your love and grace but I am so thankful for it. Your ways are higher than my ways and your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Please help me submit fully to your lordship in my life. Give me the strength to resist the desires of my flesh. Help me to deny myself, and relinquish all that I have, and all that I am for you. Destroy my attachment to this world so that I can fully rely on you in every situation. I want to develop a strong relationship with you and to be your disciple. Help me to continue to pursue this goal every day, and to help others do the same. I give my entire self over to you Lord. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Samuel Hart (1845-1917), an Episcopal clergyman, classicist, and liturgical scholar.

Is it any wonder that, when we stagger at any promise of God through unbelief, we do not receive it? Not that faith merits an answer, or in any way earns it, or works it out; but God has made believing a condition of receiving, and the Giver has a sovereign right to choose His own terms of gift.

PRAYER:

Written by Dallas Willard (1935-2013), a theologian, author, speaker,  and professor at USC School of Philosophy. His writings have changed forever how thousands of Christians experience their faith.

Lord Jesus Christ, we are so thankful  to you that you have said, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  We are thankful for the ease with which you walked upon this earth, the generosity and kindness you showed to people, the devotion with which you cared for those who were out of the way and in trouble, the extent to which you even loved your enemies and laid down your life for them.  We are also thankful to believe that this is a life for us, a life without lack, a life of sufficiency. It’s so clear in you, the sufficiency of your Father and the fullness of life that was poured through you, and we’re so thankful that you have promised that same love, that same life, that same joy, that same power for us. Lord, slip up on us today. Get past our defenses, our worries, our concerns. Gently open our souls and speak your Word into them. We believe you want to do it, and we wait for you to do it now. In your name, Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), an English preacher, known as the “Prince of Preachers.”

Job had comforters, and I think he spoke the truth when he said, “Miserable comforters are ye all.” But I dare say they esteemed themselves wise; and when the young man Elihu rose to speak, they thought he had a world of impudence. Were they not “grave and reverend seigniors?” Did not they comprehend his grief and sorrow?…But they did not find out the cause…It is a bad case when the doctor mistakes a disease and gives a wrong prescription, and so perhaps kills the patient. Sometimes, when we go and visit people, we mistake their disease; we want to comfort them on this point, whereas they do not require any such comfort at all, and they would be better left alone, than spoiled by such unwise comforters as we are. But oh, how wise the Holy Spirit is! He takes the soul, lays it on the table, and dissects it in a moment; He finds out the root of the matter. He sees where the complaint is, and then He applies the knife where something is required to be taken away, or puts a plaster where the sore is; and He never mistakes. Oh, how wise is the blessed Holy Spirit; from every comforter I turn, and leave them all, for thou art He who alone gives the wisest consolation.

PRAYER:

Written by Anne Peterson, a contemporary poet, speaker, and author.

Lord, I thank you for who you are. I thank you that no matter what happens to us on this earth, you are with us. God, we look forward to the day that we will see you face to face, but for anyone who is struggling, we pray that you strengthen them, meet their needs, and let your Holy Spirit comfort them. We pray this in your Son’s precious and Holy name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by R.C. Sproul (1939-2017), an American Reformed theologian, pastor, radio broadcaster, and founder of Ligonier Ministries. This is an excerpt from his book “Essential Truths of the Christian Faith.”

The apostle Paul declared that he was determined to know nothing save Christ and Him crucified. This was the apostle’s way of emphasizing the extreme importance of the Cross to Christianity. The doctrine of the Atonement is central to all Christian theology. Luther called Christianity a theology of the Cross. The figure of a cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. The concept of atonement reaches back to the Old Testament where God set up a system by which the people of Israel could make atonement for their sins. To atone is to make amends, to set things right. Both the Old and New Testaments make it clear that all human beings are sinners. As our sins are against an infinite, holy God who cannot even look upon sin, atonement must be made in order for us to have fellowship with God. Because sin touches even our best acts, we are incapable of making a sufficient sacrifice. Even our sacrifices are tainted and would require a further sacrifice to cover that blemish, ad infinitum. We have no gift valuable enough, no work righteous enough to atone for our own sins. We are debtors who cannot pay their debts. In receiving the wrath of the Father on the cross, Christ was able to make atonement for His people. Christ carried or bore the punishment for the sins of human beings. He atoned for them by accepting the just punishment due for those sins. The Old Testament covenant pronounced a curse upon any person who broke the law of God. On the cross, Jesus not only took that curse upon Himself, but He became “a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). He was forsaken by the Father and experienced the full measure of hell on the cross. Orthodox Christianity has insisted that the Atonement involves substitution and satisfaction. In taking God’s curse upon Himself, Jesus satisfied the demands of God’s holy justice. He received God’s wrath for us, saving us from the wrath that is to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10). A key phrase in the Bible regarding the Atonement is the phrase, “in behalf of.” Jesus did not die for Himself, but for us. His suffering was vicarious; He was our substitute. He took our place in fulfilling the role of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. While the Father’s wrath is real, it should be noted that the atonement Christ made was not a case of the Son working against the Father’s will. It is not as if Christ were snatching His people out of the Father’s hand. The Son did not persuade the Father to save those whom the Father was loathe to save. On the contrary, both Father and Son willed the salvation of the elect and worked together to bring it to pass. As the apostle Paul wrote, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19).

PRAYER:

Written by Debbie McDaniel, a contemporary writer.

Dear God, We remember today, the pain and suffering of the cross, and all that Jesus was willing to endure, so we could be set free. He paid the price, such a great sacrifice, to offer us the gift of eternal life. Help us never to take for granted this huge gift of love on our behalf. Help us to be reminded of the cost of it all. Forgive us for being too busy, or distracted by other things, for not fully recognizing what you freely given, what you have done for us. Thank you, Lord, that by your wounds we are healed. Thank you that because of your huge sacrifice we can live free. Thank you that sin and death have been conquered and that your Power is everlasting. Thank you that we can say with great hope, “It is finished…” For we know what’s still to come. And death has lost its sting. We praise you for you are making all things new. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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