June
JUNE 1
“How Often?”
Read Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.”
Matthew 18:21-22
Peter asked for a statistical count; Jesus gave him a story. We do not calculate forgiveness by numbers; we live it out in a world of incalculable mercy. Careful bookkeeping gives way to extravagant generosity.
Whom do you need to forgive?
Prayer: Your stories, Jesus, describe a world I can’t really see, a world large with generosity. Every mean act and every failed task is released from condemnation. I want to share in this world, Lord, of forgiving and being forgiven. Amen.
JUNE 2
“Is It Lawful?”
Read Matthew 19:1-9
He answered, “Have you not read that the one who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
Matthew 19:4-6
Some people come to Jesus and say, “Help me; have mercy upon me.” Jesus responds immediately and graciously. Others, like these Pharisees, come and say, “Is it lawful… ?” They are interested not in what God can do for them, but in what they can get by with. All they get from Jesus is some quotations from Genesis they could have read on their own.
What scripture does Jesus quote?
Prayer: Now, Father, I see why some of my prayers are unsatisfactory: I am interested in my possibilities rather than in your grace. I ask for information rather than for mercy. I see the difference; now help me to pray the difference. Amen.
JUNE 3
“To Whom It Is Given”
Read Matthew 19:10-12
His disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” But he said to them, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it is given…. Let anyone accept this who can.”
Matthew 19:10-12
Jesus doesn’t impose a uniform way of life on everyone. There are different ways of life in which to pursue a committed discipleship. God gives the means to accomplish the ends that he commands in us.
In what station in life has God placed you?
Prayer: Create a contentment in me, God, with the circumstances of my life. It is so inwardly destructive to be always wishing I were in a different situation or involved in other relationships. Show me how to do the best in love and faith right where I am. Amen.
JUNE 4
“Lay His Hands on Them and Pray”
Read Matthew 19:13-15
… But Jesus said, “Let the litde children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.
Matthew 19:14-15
The extremities of existence are joined in Jesus’ life: he touches children, immersing himself in the sensual, physical realities of die human; and he prays, laying hold of the unseen, spiritual realities of God.
Do you separate the physical and spiritual?
Prayer: I want to be equally at home, Lord Jesus, in material, physical things and in spiritual, divine realities—in the same way that you were, touching and praying. Amen.
JUNE 5
“Give to the Poor”
Read Matthew 19:16-22
“If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
Matthew 19:21
The young man diought that he had kept the Le-vitical command, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” but it had never occurred to him that his neighbor might be the poor man and that love had something to do with how he spent his money.
Who are some of die unseen “neighbors” in your life?
Prayer: I know the commands, O God, but I need your help in seeing the people and circumstances where my obedience is commanded. Open my hands diat have been clutching possessions; open my eyes too long blind to certain neighbors. Amen.
JUNE 6
“Who Then Can Be Saved?”
Read Matthew 19:23-30
“Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 19:23-24
We have to make a choice between possessing as much as we can manage, proving we are worth something by our visible wealth, and traveling light in faith, believing that we are wordi every-tiiing simply because God loves us. What have you left?
Prayer: As long, Father, as I harbor covetous desires to be among the first, I am never free to respond quickly and spontaneously to your presence and your word. Forgive me for wanting to be among the rich, and for avoiding the company of the poor, where you are. Amen.
JUNE 7
“The Last Will Be First”
Read Matthew 20:1-16
” ‘Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Matthew 20:15-16
Christ doesn’t run the world by consulting us, asking what we think is right or proper. Naturally, we make our share of complaints against Iris administration. But much of our discontent, phrased as a concern for justice, is only petty envy and small-minded jealousy.
What don’t you like about how God runs things?
PRAYER: You are right on target, Lord, when you ask me, “Do you begrudge my generosity?” It is not easy to get used to a life of extravagant mercy, when I have grown up on nit-picking calculations of rights and benefits. Amen.
JUNE 8
“The Son of Man Will Be Handed Over”
Read Matthew 20:17-19
“… and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised.”
Matthew 20:18-19
Association with Jesus puts us in the company of healing, enlightenment, and unanticipated joys. But it also puts us in the place of betrayal, humiliation, and crucifixion. We must, if we are faithful to the Christian way, accept the one as readily as the other.
Why is this announcement a surprise?
Prayer: I will not forget, Lord Christ, when I experience apprehension and dread, that it is an announced and documented part of die life of discipleship. Keep me faithful in the difficult trials as you accompany me with the promise of resurrection. Amen.
JUNE 9
“His Life a Ransom for Many”
Read Matthew 20:20-28
“… but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:26-28
We attempt to get the respect and recognition of a life of discipleship by acquiring a few pious habits. Jesus demands a life that makes a difference: a life of service, a life of giving. How do you live as a servant?
Prayer: My confession, Lord: I keep hoping that being a Christian will give me an advantage over everybody else; I make a habit of looking for loopholes in your demands for a life of service. Forgive me, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
JUNE 10
“What Do You Want?”
Read Matthew 20:29-34
“Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” Jesus stood still and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”
Matthew 20:31-33
The blind men’s answer to Jesus’ question seems obvious: “Let our eyes be opened.” But had they ever asked for that before? Or had they long ago gotten accustomed to asking for handouts? Jesus forces us to what is basic and essential: what do you really want? What do you want?
Prayer: Gracious Father, years of living in “Jericho” have turned me into a passive consumer, dependent on alms. My desires and wants are exceedingly trivial. You rouse in me soul-sized thirsts I had forgotten I had: I want sight. I want salvation. Amen.
JUNE 11
“Mount of Olives”
Read Matthew 21:1-5
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me.”
Matthew 21:1-2
First-century Jewish expectation had fixed on the Mount of Olives as the site for the appearance of the Messiah. As Jesus prepared to present himself at the Jerusalem Passover, he partially fit into their expectations. At the same time, he confounded them by selecting a plodding beast of burden to ride rather than a dashing war horse.
Look at a map of the Holy Land and visualize the relation of the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem.
Prayer: I want to be ready, Jesus, for your daily entrance into my life. I know that you will come to me. 1 also know that the way you will come will differ from my preconceptions. Prepare me to receive you as you will to come. Amen.
JUNE 12
“Did as Jesus Directed”
Rkad Matthew 21:6-7
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.
Matthew 21:6-7
Simple obedience is a marvelous act: when we do what Jesus tells us to do, everything falls into place, things work out. Why do we think we have to improve on his commands, edit his instructions? Are you basically an obeyer or a kibitzer?
Prayer: Almighty and eternal God, speak your word to my heart, commanding what you will. And then work in me the grace of obedience enabling me in faidi to carry out your word. Amen.
JUNE 13
“Branches from the Trees”
Read Matthew 21:8
A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Matthew 21:8
Festivity was in the air. Our custom at parades is to wave banners and pompoms; the Hebrews made a red carpet with garments and tree branches. They knew something eelebrative was taking place in Jesus and they wanted in on it. What is eelebrative for you in Jesus?
Prayer: “Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love; hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away; giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day” (Henry van Dyke, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” The Hymnbook, 31). Amen.
JUNE 14
“Hosanna in the Highest!”
Read Matthew 21:9
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Matthew 21:9
Hosanna means “Save now!” It is a cry for help in the context of assured response. The Savior has arrived! Salvation is at hand! Everyone’s life is at the point of change for the better. That which none of us can do for ourselves is done for us in Jesus. Read Psalm 118:25-26 for the source of this cry.
Prayer: “Thou didst accept their praises; accept the prayers we bring, who in all good delightest, Thou good and gracious King! All glory, laud, and honor to Thee, Redeemer, King, to whom the Hps of children made sweet hosannas ring!” (Theodolph of Orleans, “All Glory, Laud, and Honor,” The Hymnbook, 171). Amen.
JUNE 15
“The Whole City Was in Turmoil”
Read Matthew 21:10-11
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Matthew 21:10-11
Many things are put together in this parade: the obedience of disciples, the generosity of the donkey’s owner, the prophecy of Zechariah, the enthusiasm of crowds, the praise of God. The final week of Jesus’ ministry opens with a celebration. It will conclude with a resurrection.
What part do you play in celebrating Christ’s rule?
Prayer: God, I want to find my proper place among people who praise you. By your grace every day is a festival of salvation. Put a palm branch in my hand and a song in my mouth as I join the people who know the joyful sound. Amen.
JUNE 16
“Den of Robbers”
Read Matthew 21:12-13
Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and die seats of those who sold doves.
Matthew 21:12
Places of worship are bustling centers of activity: centers for discussion groups, work projects, social gatherings—and, of course, a brief prayer to get things started on the right note. Most churches could stand a good temple-cleaning.
Is prayer the central activity in your church?
Prayer: When I next enter my church, Father, I will pray. I will not go to talk about you, or talk to my neighbors, but to address you and be addressed by you. Keep me faithful and attentive to the conversation that you are having with me in Jesus Christ. Amen.
JUNE 17
“Prepared Praise”
Read Matthew 21:14-17
Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,
” ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself?”
Matthew 21:16
The noise of the money changers never, appar-endy, had bothered them, but the noise of children was intolerable. How could they become so quickly accustomed to the clangor of commerce, and be so short-tempered with the shouts of children? How can we?
What psalm does Jesus quote?
Prayer: “Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above; praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, mount of God’s unchanging love! (R. Robinson, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” The Hymn-book, 322). Amen.
JUNE 18
“Whatever You Ask in Prayer”
Read Matthew 21:18-22
Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”
Matthew 21:21-22
Jesus trains us to seek die essentials from God, to direct our longings and aspirations to the center. Prayer to God must become as common in our lives as conversation with our friends. Is prayer central in your life?
Prayer: God and Father, I find your love in and around me; I realize your salvation working deeply through my existence. Centered in you and surrounded by you, make every word I speak a prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
JUNE 19
“By What Authority?”
Read Matthew 21:23-27
When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Matthew 21:23-24
The question was not an honest request for information, but a tactic for avoiding personal responsibility. They asked questions about Jesus’ credentials so that they would not have to answer the question Jesus’ life posed to their lives.
Do you ever ask questions to avoid giving answers?
Prayer: I want my life, Lord, to be an answer to your love for me: my actions and my words, my thoughts and my dreams—all a response to the great reality of your presence in Jesus, that calls into question my selfishness and my pride. Amen.
JUNE 20
“Which of the Two”
Read Matthew 21:28-32
“Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and
the prostitutes believed him—-”
Matthew 21:31-32
Our life is formed at the deepest levels not by protest and promises, arguments and resolutions, but by faithful obedience. In the silent depths of the soul, the responses formed finally result—in spite of doubts and denials—in a life pleasing to God. Which of the two sons are you?
Prayer: God in Christ: you probe my heart and discover behind the words that I speak the life that I live. Purify and sanctify that inner life so that I may please you and glorify your name. Amen.
JUNE 21
“What Will He Do to Those Tenants?”
Read Matthew 21:33-41
“But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.”
Matthew 21:38-39
Popular-opinion polls condition us to look for truth in the percentages: whatever most people do or think is the most right. The parable exposes the foolishness of statistics: no matter how many times the tenants reject the truth, the truth remains to judge them.
What majority actions today do you think are wrong?
Prayer: How faithfully you approach me, Lord Jesus! How persistendy you enter my life in various ways. Open my eyes to your presence and my heart to your grace so that I will always accept your coming. Amen.
JUNE 22
“The Very Stone”
Read Matthew 21:42-46
“Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”
Matthew 21:43-44
All the experts who can’t fit God into their thinking, or dieir living, conclude that there is simply no place for him. But they start in the wrong places: we don’t fit God into our lives, he fits us into his. When we begin with him, the “head of the corner,” our lives arc fit for eternity. What psalm does Jesus quote?
Prayer: Too many times, O Christ, 1 have rejected you because you didn’t meet my specifications. Forgive me for my shortsighted arrogance. Forgive me for my small-minded selfishness. Build me into the life you are making. Amen.
JUNE 23
“They Made Light of It”
Read Matthew 22:1-14
“Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.”
Matthew 22:8-10
We are faced with a life-or-death summons. The responses that we make to God in Christ are the stuff of eternity. The parable administers a shock of realization that jars us out of our drifting dilettantism.
What part of the parable speaks to you?
Prayer Lord, preserve me from such deficiencies of will and love that will keep me from being counted among the blessed celebrants in your presence. I know that I am among the called; grant diat I will also be among the chosen. Amen.
JUNE 24
“Whose Likeness?”
Read Matthew 22:15-22
Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Matthew 22:21
The question was designed to drive a wedge between the secular and the sacred, between what we owe to God and what we owe to society. But Jesus calls us to live in a world without partitions, to the glory of God, responsible to our nation. How does this help you live well as a citizen?
Prayer: I want my life, O God, to be consciously and deliberately lived under your sovereign lordship; but I also want to live responsibly as a citizen, through Jesus Christ. Amen.
JUNE 25
“In the Resurrection”
Read Matthew 22:23-33
“And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and die God of Jacob’? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.”
Matthew 22:31-32
Jesus has little patience with people who love nothing better than a good “religious discussion.” He is interested in bringing people new life, bringing them into relationsliip with a living God of resurrection. Why did the Sadducees ask the question?
Prayer-. No empty disputes today, Lord, but empty tombs. I don’t want to waste any time in clever arguments, but immerse myself intelligently in the scriptures and respond devoudy to the living God. Amen.
JUNE 26
“Asked Him a Question”
Read Matthew 22:34-40
” ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Matthew 22:37-39
Most religious questions are not in order to acquire information or wisdom, but frivolous camouflages for indolence. As long as we are asking questions, we don’t have to do anything. Jesus’ answer put a stop to the questions: his answer confronts us with the basic question of our lives. Will we love, or not?
What scripture does Jesus quote?
Prayer: What will it be for me today, Lord? asking questions or loving in obedience? I don’t need to know more, but I do need to love more Keep me faithful to your command. Amen.
JUNE 27
“Whose Son?”
Read Matthew 22:41-46
He said to them, “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying,
‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet”‘?”
Matthew 22:43-44
Jesus answers the question by asking a question. We do not come to Christ to get answers; we come to have our lives called into question, and find how our lives become an answer to him.
What question does Christ address to you? What is your answer?
Prayer: “I find, I walk, I love, but O the whole of love is but my answer, Lord to Thee! For Thou wert long beforehand with my soul; always Thou lovedst me” (Pilgrim Hymnal). Amen.
JUNE 28
“Do Not Practice”
Read Matthew 23:1-12
“… Therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilhng to lift a finger to move them.”
Matthew 23:3-4
Most people do not start out to be hypocrites. We begin sincerely enough, with good intentions. But as it becomes easier to talk about God than engaging in the arduous process of deepening and growing in faith, we take the easier road. Outside fluency and expertise covers up inner sloth and emptiness.
Are you the same inside as outside?
Prayer: God, especially when people look to me as some kind of authority on religion, I find it easy to take on the role, meeting their expectations, but ignoring yours. But I want my life to be an on-the-knees response to you, not an on-the-pedestal lording over others. Amen.
JUNE 29
“Woe to You”
Read Matthew 23:13-36
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”
Matthew 23:27-28
Jesus’ anger, verbalized in these lines of indignant thunder, sounds more terrifying after each repetition. The effect is cumulative. The hammering denunciations break up the false front of glib performance and expose die imier emptiness of self-centered smugness.
How many woes are pronounced?
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, I accept the designation “Pharisee” and put myself under your prophetic analysis: expose every tendency in me to separate the inner life of faith and the outer life of reputation; convict me of every instance of saying more than I am living. “Unite my heart to fear thy name” (Psalm 86:11). Amen.
JUNE 30
“How Often!”
Read Matthew 23:37-39
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you, desolate.”
Matthew 23:37-38
The most religious city in history is the site of the worst religious persecution. The place where God showed himself most completely, is the place where God was rejected most vehemendy. And the very streets where men and women shouted their hate, Jesus expressed the pathos that would finally convert them to singing hallelujahs.
Who are some of the prophets who were killed and stoned?
Prayer: Forgive me, O God, for the many times I have rejected your words of invitation, your servants of love. I have not been as loud and public in my rejections as many, but my silent and private unbelief has been, all the same, a refusal. Amen.
Tags: June
Posted in English Daily Prayers | No Comments »
July
JULY 1
“Thrown Down”
Read Matthew 24:1-2
As Jesus came out of the temple arid was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of die temple. Then he asked diem, “You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all wall be thrown down.”
Matthew 24:1-2
The destruction of the temple was spiritual urban renewal—getting rid of an inadequate physical structure so that a “building not made with hands” could be constructed in its place. What was the purpose of the temple?
Prayer: God Almighty, I don’t want to become so attached to what my ancestors built in obedience to you that I miss the firsthand opportunities of participating in the new things you are doing in my generation. Amen.
JULY 2
“When Will This Be?”
Read Matthew 24:3
When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Matthew 24:3
The view from where they sat was impressive: Jerusalem panoramic before them, with the magnificent temple in the foreground. But it is not what religious people build that makes the kingdom, but how and when a gracious God comes.
Do you spend most of your time looking at religious sights, or listening to Jesus’ words?
Prayer: Lead me into asking the right questions, Lord God of truth, and train me in a careful listening to your answers. I don’t want to stand around looking at the religious scenery; I want to be alert to the new word you are speaking to me in Jesus Christ. Amen.
JULY 3
“The End Is Not Yet”
Read Matthew 24:4-8
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not
yet____All this is but the beginning of the
birthpangs.”
Matthew 24:6,8
A lot of people have franchises these days on predicting the future; it is one of the blue chip businesses in religion. The only thing worse than the crassness of the sellers is the gullibility of the buyers. Jesus warned us well and in detail—there is no excuse for any of us being deceived by these people.
Who has tried to deceive you by pretending to know God’s timetable?
Prayer: It is hard not to be impressed by these people who speak so urgendy and convincingly about die future, Jesus—they all claim a direct commission from you. But then I return to these words of warning and their deceit is exposed. I am again content to be obedient at your feet. Amen.
JULY 4
“They Will Hand You Over”
Read Matthew 24:9-14
“And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 24:11-13
If we do not experience betrayal at this moment, we must not therefore become complacent and surprised if and when it comes. Betrayal, which was the fate of Jesus, is also the fate of his followers. Being a Christian is not a sure-fire way to get ahead in the world.
Have you experienced any of the forms of betrayal mentioned by Jesus?
Prayer: I don’t want my identity as a Christian to be shaped by the culture around me, but by the words that you, Jesus, address to me. How carefully you warned me to keep my guard up against the influencing attitudes of others, whether seductive or hostile. Keep me daily mindful of the dangers. Amen.
JULY 5
“If Those Days Had Not Been Cut Short”
Read Matthew 24:15-22
“For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved….”
Matthew 24:21-22
If history were left to run its course, everybody receiving their moral desserts, the consequences would be merciless and inexorable. But we are not left to our fate; history is interrupted by mercy. What do you most abhor in current history?
Prayer: Sovereign and holy Christ: I listen and look at and read the news of the world, and despair—such absurd carnage, such mindless evil. And then I listen and look at and read your salvation and take hope—such mercy, such grace! Amen
JULY 6
“Do Not Believe It”
Read Matthew 24:23-28
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”
Matthew 24:23-24
The moment we believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we quit believing a lot of other things. We quit believing in self-promoting preachers who say they have the latest word from God; we quit believing in schemes by which we can help ourselves to a fortune; we quit believing the puffery that puts religious leaders on pedestals. Who and what don’t you believe in these days?
Prayer: You have made things so simple for me, dear Jesus. I simply believe in you. I don’t have to take seriously everyone who speaks seriously in a religious tone of voice. Thank you for the simplicity of your life, saving me from the complexities of false Christs and false prophets. Amen.
JULY 7
“Gather His Elect”
Read Matthew 24:29-31
“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds….”
Matthew 24:30-31
The terrible dissolution and falling apart of society and cosmos is decisively countered by the coming of Christ that signals a comprehensive coming together. “Coming together” is the last word, not “falling apart.”
What Old Testament scripture is Jesus referring to?
Prayer: Come, Lord Jesus! Come and save your people, come and save your elect, come and establish your kingdom. Keep me faithful in prayer for your soon coming and aflame in hope. Amen.
JULY 8
“Not Pass Away”
Read Matthew 24:32-35
“So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Matthew 24:33-35
The earth looks so solid, the skies look so immense—and words seem so fragile. But it is the words that will endure, that are full of energy, and that accomplish our redemption, for Christ speaks them.
Reflect on the prominence of “word” in the gospel.
Prayer: “O God of Light, Thy Word, a lamp unfailing, shines through the darkness of our earthly way, o’er fear and doubt, o’er black despair prevailing, guiding our steps to Thine eternal day” (Sarah E. Taylor, “O God of Light, Thy Word, a Lamp Unfailing,” The Hymnbook, 217). Amen.
JULY 9
“You Also Must Be Ready”
Read Matthew 24:36-44
“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
Matthew 24:36-37
Jesus warned against getting anxiously upset by announcements of the end. Now he warns against complacendy missing the signs of his arrival. In prayer we must be alert, but not gullible. Do you have a lively sense of expectancy?
Prayer: I never, O God, want to live in complacent sloth, soggy in religious routine, smug in pious satisfaction. I want to be expectant and ready for the new thing that you are doing today, and again tomorrow. Amen.
JULY 10
“The Faithful and Wise Slave”
Read Matthew 24:45-51
“Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives.”
Matthew 24:45-46
The ignorance of all of us (including the angels!) regarding the schedule of the coming again of Christ sets us free to go about our work of love without forever nervously checking the clock or calendar.
Do the predictors ever distract you from your work?
Prayer: My curiosity, Lord, sometimes consumes me: I want to know when. And you draw me back into the fullness of this now, in which I can live by faith, content to receive what you give at the right time, and be steady at my work. Amen.
JULY 11
“Ten Bridesmaids”
Read Matthew 25:1-13
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.”
Matthew 25:1-2
The parable asks, “What’s smart?” rather than “What’s right?” Our minds as well as our morals are to be put to proper use in expectation of Christ’s coming. Foolishness is as much to be avoided in kingdom matters as wickedness. How do you watch?
Prayer: Dear God, you have given me careful teaching about your coming: that you are coming, but not when. Keep me ever alert and prepared so that I am ready for whatever you have for me to do, whenever you choose to command me. Amen.
JULY 12
“One Talent”
Read Matthew 25:14-30
“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.”
Matthew 25:14-15
All of us have “one-talent” moods—times when it appears that everyone else has more than we do. We covet the more that others have, instead of devoting ourselves to use what we do have. Jesus has no patience with us at such times; his parable is a prod to live our lives, just as they are, to the glory of God.
Do you ever use your inadequacy as an excuse to do nothing?
Prayer: Llelp me to accept my one-talent status, Lord, and be thankful for what you have given me. And help me to boldly participate in the exchanges of love that will make a profit for your kingdom. Amen.
JULY 13
“Inherit the Kingdom”
Read Matthew 25:31-46
“… And he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world—-”‘
Matthew 25:33-34
The great acts of judgment are not arbitrarily imposed from the outside, they develop out of the ordinary actions of everyday life. The final kingdom has all its seeds in the acts of love and compassion of each day.
Do you think you will be surprised at the last judgment?
Prayer: Thank you for this parable, Jesus: now I know that everything counts. I will never again suppose that what I do is insignificant. I will look for your presence in every person I meet and serve you through them. Amen.
JULY 14
“By Stealth”
Read Matthew 26:1-5
Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
Matthew 26:3-4
While Jesus prophesied his death, his enemies plotted it. The rapt listening of the disciples is in contrast to the stealthy conspiracy of die high priests. The world is divided between those who hang on Jesus’ every word, and those who plot to eliminate him from their lives. Why were the priests against Jesus?
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, how grateful I am that you have entered die arena of suffering and hurt and evil. If all I had were words spoken from a quiet hillside, I would not have what I needed most—your victory over the worst, your presence in time of need. Amen.
JULY 15
“Very Costly Ointment”
Read Matthew 26:6-13
“By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
Matthew 26:12-13
Devout living is not tightfisted stinginess, but something flaming, with alabaster extravagance. We do not grow in faith by hoarding and saving, but by generous acts of sacrifice poured out in love.
Are you generous?
Prayer: Save me, Lord Jesus, from the niggardly spirit that calculates and resents. Release me for a life that pours itself out without counting the cost, even as you poured yourself out for me. Amen.
JULY 16
“Opportunity to Betray Him”
Read Matthew 26:14-25
When it was evening, he took Ins place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became gready distressed and began to say to him one after anodier, “Surely not 1, Lord?”
Matthew 26:20-22
It is difficult to comprehend that this act of betrayal could be committed by a man associated personally with Jesus, surrounded by peers in a common meal and intimate conversation. But any of us arc capable of it: “Is it I?” is an honest question to ask ourselves. Why did Judas do it?
Prayer: Forgive me, Father, for the times that I have suddenly left the way of faith and gone off to execute a plan that I thought would bring me some short-term benefit. Amen.
JULY 17
“Took… Bread,… Took a Cup”
Read Matthew 26:26-29
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this
is my blood of the covenant—-”
Matthew 26:26-28
The common elements of the meal, through Jesus’ words and prayer, became the signs of our eternal salvation. The deepest spiritual truths are represented in the everyday material of bread and wine. What does the Lord’s Supper mean to you?
Prayer: I receive what you give to me, Lord Jesus Christ—your life and your salvation. As I receive it, I live in hope, anticipating the full life of the kingdom, even as I am participating in it now by your grace. Amen.
JULY 18
“The Flock Will Be Scattered”
Read Matthew 26:30-35
Then Jesus said to them, “You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written,
‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.”
Matthew 26:31-32
Stumbling was a way of life for Peter, as it is for us. Optimism in our capacity for faithfulness is not the basis of our salvation. Our trust is in the resurrection.
When was the last time you stumbled?
Prayer: I am grateful, God, diat your plans do not depend upon my loyalty, that your salvation is not contingent on my steadfastness. Your resurrection takes place anyway. All praise to you, O God. Amen.
JULY 19
“Your Will Be Done”
Read Matthew 26:36-46
Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with me one hour? Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:40-41
Sleeping, we slip into a private world, unconscious of God’s action. Praying, the opposite of sleeping, explores every detail in the drama of existence, draws us into participation in Christ’s passion.
What are some contrasts between sleeping and praying?
Prayer: Live in me, holy Christ; create a new Adam, a new Eve, to live to your glory in this garden. Teach me the freedom that lives your will instead of asserting my own. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
JULY 20
“Deserted Him and Fled”
Read Matthew 26:47-56
Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?”
Matthew 26:52-54
Rome and religion conspired against Jesus and seized him, but he feared “no evil.” He was so sure of God’s “rod and staff’ that he was confidently dismissive of all “swords and staves.” Where are you in this crowd?
Prayer: You lived, Jesus, not by sword but by scripture. Yet I continue to use violence, even when I am attempting to do right things. Teach me to do it your way—your goals, yes, but also your methods. Amen.
JULY 21
“Caiaphas… Peter”
Read Matthew 26:57-68
The high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer? What is it diat they testify against you?” But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so.”
Matthew 26:62-64
Caiaphas and Peter are mentioned in successive sentences. The high priest and the chief aposde both center their attention on Jesus. Earlier, Peter had said “You are the Christ.” Here, Caiaphas says it. The content of the gospel stays the same—but how different it sounds on the hps of Caiaphas and of Peter.
Why was Jesus silent?
Prayer: A striking scene, Lord! The torture and mocking intended to reduce you to physical and emotional insignificance only reveal your strength. Out of this suffering your love appears with immense dignity and beauty. Thank You. Amen.
JULY 22
“In the Beginning”
Read John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
John and Genesis both fix our roots in God-reality: our origins are in the God who speaks (and is therefore intelligible to us) and whose speech (Word) makes the very stuff of our existence.
Compare John 1 with Genesis 1.
Prayer: God of creation, let all my beginnings be in you: every thought, every act, every desire, every purpose, every plan. I would be rooted and grounded in you, and you only. Amen.
JULY 23
“Made Through Him ”
Read John 1:2-3
All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being …
John 1:3
It is impossible to separate what we know of God from who God is, what God has said from his very being. Everything that is made is a clue leading to God, and God, of course, is the truth of everything.
How did creation take place?
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for this gloriously intricate, put-togedier, held-together universe. Everywhere I look I find evidence of what you have done. Everything I see gives me another reason to marvel and praise. Amen.
JULY 24
“The Life Was the Light”
Read John 1:4
… in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.
John 1:4
Our ability to see anything and understand it is because of God. Even our questions about God are evidence of God. Our enlightened minds, which we may use to deny God, are a gift of the God who gives us life.
What are some characteristics of light?
Prayer: Father of lights, in whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, I thank you for every good gift and every perfect gift come down from above in Jesus Christ. (James 1:17) Amen.
JULY 25
“Light/Darkness”
Read John 1:5
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
John 1:5
In a contest between light and dark, light always wins. Darkness never smothers light; light always dissipates darkness. Darkness has no initiative and no energy. It is helpless against the pulsating radiance of the light.
What are some characteristics of darkness?
Prayer-. “This is the day of light: let there be light today; O Dayspring, rise upon our night and chase its gloom away” (John Ellerton, “This Is the Day of Light,” The Hymnbook, 70). Amen.
JULY 26
“Witness to the Light”
Read John 1:6-8
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
John 1:6-8
The contrast is abrupt: our minds are drawn from the wide, cosmic sweep of creation to the rough Judean wilderness, where a man is calling particular attention to God’s work and word in Jesus Christ.
What do you know about John?
Prayer: By your Word, God, the heavens were created; and by that same word I am addressed. What is going on in the heavens and in my home are equally your interest. Make the connection in my faith between your grand purposes and your specific involvement in my life. Amen.
JULY 27
“The World Did Not Know Him”
Read John 1:9-11
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.
John 1:10
That which is obvious in revelation and faith is not obvious to mere cleverness or doubt. “Think of it! The Word was made flesh and not one of the journalists of diose days even knew it was happening!” (G. Bernanos, Diary of a Country Priest [Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1954], 164).
Why was Jesus not recognized and not received?
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me not to overlook the obvious—through carelessness miss die great signs of your saving love, through sloth have my eyes closed to die flashing lights of eternity, in Jesus Christ. Amen.
JULY 28
“Bom… of God”
Read John 1:12-13
But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:12-13
New birth is a theme that recurs throughout John’s gospel. All that we know of birth, naturally, is a kind of parable of what God wills for us super-naturally.
Compare this with John 3:1-15.
Prayer: Create, shape, and bring to maturity, Mighty God, the new life that you will for me in Jesus Christ. I want to be known as your child, be recognized as your child, and grow up into eternity as your child. Amen.
JULY 29
“The Word Became Flesh”
Read John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14
The “Word” by which God made all diings (verses 1-3) became an actual flesh-and-blood person, Jesus of Nazareth. A most astounding event, scarcely imaginable, but impressively documented in our gospels by those who saw it take place (“we have beheld his glory”).
Compare this with Galatians 4:4-5.
Prayer: Father, open my eyes to see all that you reveal in Jesus Christ. I don’t want to miss a single instance of grace, nor overlook one item of truth. I want to see it all, your glory in Jesus. Amen.
JULY 30
“John Testified”
Read John 1:15
(John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”)
John 1:15
John knew what to look for and what to expect— he was the first century’s leading expert on the subject of Messiah. His years of preparatory preaching climaxed in his identification of Jesus as the Messiah sent and anointed by God.
How did John know that Jesus was the Messiah?
Prayer: I thank you, dear God, for those teachers and preachers you have sent into my life to train me in what to look for and alert me to your living presence in Jesus Christ. Amen.
JULY 31
“From His Fullness”
Read John 1:16-17
From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 1:16-17
God does not carefully calculate his stores of “grace and truth” and then cautiously dole them out in bits and pieces. He is lavish and extravagant as he reveals and shares himself in Jesus Christ. What is “grace”?
Prayer: God, what a change from what I was used to, living hand to mouth on morsels of law! Every day now is a banquet, grand and abundant! Thank you for this new life style of “grace upon grace.” Amen.
Tags: July
Posted in English Daily Prayers | No Comments »
