Saturday, May 30, 2015

A Prayer for Saturday, May 30

Lord,
  On the 7th day, you rested.
  After creating the sun and the moon and the stars and the planets and the plants and the fish and the animals and humankind, you rested.
  Not because you needed to, but rather because you wanted to instill a cycle of rest into life, because you wanted to teach us to rest, to let go of our self-centered desires to make the world go faster than it should, to try and hold the whole thing up on our own and forget that the world rests in your hands, rather than our own.  You rested, because you wanted to teach us to trust you, to pause before you and recognize our dependence on you.  You rested, because you knew our weary and anxious minds would need a regular pause to re-center ourselves on your grace and goodness.  You rested, and you commanded us to rest as well.
  In my life, Lord, I keep myself so busy that I scarcely take time to pause, let alone to seek true rest in you.  Setting aside a day, or an hour, or a few minutes seems like a sacrifice too large, so I barrel forward, seeking to complete tasks that continually arise or loom ever before me.  My feet, hands, and weary mind chug on, constantly busy, placing myself and my tasks in the center of my attention.
  Teach me to rest, Lord, and lead me beside still waters, that I may rediscover the truth that in you, I shall not want.  Show me the idolatry of my busy-ness, and slow me down enough to remind me that my life, this world, depends on you rather than me.  Help me see that your providence is enough, and may my life revolve around you.  Lead me to your rest, Lord.

Amen

Friday, May 29, 2015

A Prayer for Friday, May 29

Holy Lord,
  I wonder, sometimes, why you created.
  You have always existed in perfect love and completeness.  In the Trinity, there was no loneliness or fault.  Father, Son & Holy Spirit were perfect in relationship.
  When you created the world, and placed humans in it, you opened yourself up to hurt.  We rejected you, choosing instead to worship ourselves and follow our own dreams, rather than choosing to obey you, despite your commands leading us into deeper and richer lives.  We hurt you, and then we hurt each other and your beloved creation.
  Such a great mystery is your love for us that you have continued to love us despite our hurting you, and then you reached down in love, in Christ, and opened yourself up to even more pain in order to help us see the depths of your love.  I don't understand it, Lord, how you could will yourself to receive such rejection for the sake of love.
  Your love is great and wondrous and strong and eternal.  You love, Lord, and it amazes me.  It astounds me that you love us, that you love me.
  Thank you, Lord, for such love.  Teach me to love you, and to love all that you have created, with such free and wondrous and self-giving love, that I might, in some small way, point back to your amazing love with this life of mine.

Amen

Nehemiah 8:1-8

Nehemiah 8:1-8
English Standard Version (ESV)

 Scripture should change us.  Here, the people of God have been through traumatic times, bounced around and threatened by major forces.  Their town was in ruins, and then God sent Nehemiah to restore their fortunes.  The wall has been rebuilt, and the people want to live their lives in response to what God has done.  They read the Law as a reminder of God's providence and God's will for their lives.
  In the same way, we should turn to Scripture out of gratitude.  We, too, undergo trauma and are threatened by forces bigger than us.  Our life can end up in ruins, and it is only through the grace of God that we find the strength and community to help us rebuild, to piece everything back together and move forward, step by step, with a new understanding of how good God is to us.  We owe everything to God, for he made us and we are his, and he has given us the gift of Scripture so that we might know the truth about God's love and so that we might live in grateful response to him.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

A Prayer for Thursday, May 28

Holy God,
  You lead your people.
  Through all those years when they wandered in the wilderness, you were ever present, calling them forward, towards the Promised Land.  When the people strayed or grew angry because they didn't understand your ways, you continued to call them forward, towards life and towards the peace in you they craved, even when they weren't aware of it.  Your Holy Spirit is at work in the world, and even when I stop listening, the Spirit works inside of me, helping to open my eyes to your presence.
  You lead me, too.  You lead me through times of joy and times of chaos.  When I get stressed and stop listening to any voice but the anxious one telling me that I'll never make it, you lead me beside still waters where I might be refreshed by your grace that reminds me that I can endure because of your strength.  When I grow lonely and wonder if you are near, you lead me into an assurance of your presence, into a community that reinforces your grace.  When I am afraid, you lead me into a sense of peace due to your power, and I remember how small I am and how great is your love.  When I become prideful, you remind me that I cannot make it on my own, that I am dependent on you, that my only hope rests in you.
  You lead, Lord, and I hope to follow.  Help me structure my life so that I will always follow you, so that each and every day I will love and serve you more, out of gratitude and love for the patience you have shown to me.

Amen

Nehemiah 7:1-5

Nehemiah 7:1-5
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Many of us are waiting for this moment -- when we finally complete a task and can sit back and bask in its glory.  What we discover as Christians is that the faithful life doesn't ever reach a point where God tells us that we are finished and that we can just take the rest of our time off.  God continues to call us into deeper faithfulness, continues to push us to serve in new ways.  We don't 'finish' our calling -- we finish chapters of the book we are writing, and then we move on to the next.
  Our growth in Christ is a lifelong adventure.  Our discipleship looks different in each phase of life -- in some times it will feel like we're building a wall, and other times may feel like we're searching for the city -- but God is at work with purpose, building you up and using your life to build his kingdom.  So let us always endeavor to be faithful, always looking for growth and asking what God is up to, because a life spent pursuing the purpose of God is a life well-spent.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

A Prayer for Wednesday, May 27

Holy Lord,
  In your blood, we are washed clean.
  You are a God who is willing to forgive, and you were willing to pay the massive cost necessary in order to make it possible for us to escape the fate to which we were bound by our sin.  We had boxed ourselves in, to the point where we were hopeless and doomed, and yet into that darkness you chose to shine a light in the person of Jesus Christ, and that light shone so brightly that many were afraid.  They turned from Christ in fear of how he changed what had once been comfortable, and yet you continued to love, you continued to press forward in grace to reach the goal of liberating us from sin.  In life he demonstrated your power through his service, and he did the same in death, submitting to the power of sin and death so that he might break their power over us.  In his resurrection we see clearly just how powerful you are.
  Lord, throughout this day that is before us, let us remember with gratitude the joy of the resurrection and the pain of the cross, and how both demonstrate clearly how far you are willing to go to redeem us, to buy us back, from the hands of sin.  We who were prisoners are free because of your great love, and may this cause rejoicing to sound from the core of our beings as we endeavor to live out of gratitude.

Amen

Nehemiah 6:15-19

Nehemiah 6:15-19
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I finished a basement once.  It was a great undertaking, and I spent many hours down there banging away at various things, at some times frustrated (Rachel can attest to this) and other times making great progress.  In the end, it came out looking pretty good, and I was proud of the work I had done.  I often made the step of ensuring that others knew about the great basement I had built.
  Here, Nehemiah and the Israelites have finally finished reconstructing the wall.  Others are afraid, not because they think that Nehemiah and the others are smart and threatening, but because they recognize the power of God at work in them, and they oppose God and want to destroy all who follow him.  They are afraid because they see beyond Nehemiah to the true cause of his work.
  In our undertakings, let us endeavor to serve God with such faithfulness and joy that others see our work as an offering to God, and they understand our success occurs not because of our own efforts, but rather because God is at work in and through us, and whatever credit is out there belongs not to us, but to God.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

A Prayer for Tuesday, May 26

Lord,
  Each morning the sun rises on the world.  As the world turns and the new day's light falls upon some new swath of earth, it reveals all sorts of brokenness.  We have turned from you in many different ways, choosing our own path to pursue our own goals, often ignoring your wisdom and the pleas of those who encourage us to return to your ways.
  And yet still, Lord, you are patient and kind.  You don't wipe us away as the petulant children we can sometimes be.  You reach out and invite us into your covenantal love.  You offer forgiveness and healing, promising to wash away the remnant and stain of each and every sin.  No matter how many times we turn from you, you rush to us and invite us back, calling out in love and seeking the lost and forsaken.  When we pursue our own goals, we often find you waiting at the end of a path that we thought would lead only to worldly fame.  You anticipate our moves and intercede on our behalf.  You are kind and gracious, even when we are undeserving.
  We are not worthy of such love, and yet you give it freely, because you are kind and gracious, steadfast and ever faithful.  Thank you, Lord, for such love, and may it transform the kind of people we are and the lives we choose to lead.

Amen

Nehemiah 6:10-14

Nehemiah 6:10-14
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Not everyone is working with the same set of motives.  It's dangerous to assume that every person you meet will want to join your efforts in doing good in the world.  Some people are out for themselves, and they're not concerned with how many people they have to trample in order to achieve these goals.
  When you do business with such people, be wary, but also trust in God.  Trust in the Holy Spirit to work through you, that you may be an influence.  Trust in God that as you cling to your principles, God might do a work in the hearts of others through you.  You can't change other people, but God can use your words and deeds to open up the lives of others to the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Monday, May 25, 2015

A Prayer for Monday, May 25

Gracious God,
  You have been ever so patient.  While we have often strayed from your love, you have stayed true and faithful.  When we have rushed to the distractions and temptations of the day, your love has remained, steady and faithful, ever true, a guiding light if we'd choose to focus upon it.  Remind us once more of your great love, and as we embark upon this day, grant us your Holy Spirit wisdom so that we might remember all the ways you have been faithful in years past and see those as reminders so that we know we can trust you in the future.  So many of my sins, Lord, result because I'm trying to trust myself, trying to trust whatever is here and now and promises to be true.  Forgive these faults, Lord, and help me to trust you in and you alone for eternal life.

I love you, Lord.  Help me to live like it.

Amen

Nehemiah 6:1-9

Nehemiah 6:1-9
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I am very, very easily distracted.  Many of us are--an email or something on TV or a passing thought prevents us from staying on task and completing the work we are in the middle of.  Currently, I'm writing this as I try and pack up with a television on in the background as I'm wondering how Rachel and the kids have been doing while I have been absent.  I'm very distracted.
  It's important that each one of us make room for God and for God alone.  When we settle ourselves into a place where we have tried to eliminate distractions as much as possible, we make room for our souls to listen for the Word of God.  We're not distracted by every little thing, and in that quiet space we can truly listen for  God.
  I fool myself all the time when I think I can listen for God in the midst of everything else I am doing.  So often, what ends up happening is that I spend jumbled time and call it devotional, but in reality I've just wasted an opportunity to listen for God by listening to everything else.
  So let us find and cultivate places and spaces where we can focus on God and God alone.  In those places, may we prepare ourselves and be receptive to what God has to say to us.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

A Prayer for Saturday, May 23

Holy God,
  I am unable to do this on my own.
  It's hard to admit, Lord, that I am completely dependent on you, and yet it is so necessary, because when I can own the fact that everything depends on you, that means I can stop trying to do this all on my own.  Through my efforts, I want to achieve fame and renown, be respected and liked, be good at everything and have others think I am successful, whatever that word means.
  But the reality is that when I lay down my head upon my pillow at night, it is you who will sustain me through the night.  Only by your grace will I wake the next day.  Only by your love will I make it through any of the days that awaits me, and only by your wisdom will I manage to get things right every now and again.  If I succeed at a certain effort, it is because you have given me abilities and guided things to a good outcome.  If I fail, it is because I am human and not perfect.  My success or failure does not determine your love for me.  That has long ago been sealed.
  So Lord, I say thank you.  Thank you for your deep and abiding love, thank you for abundant grace, thank you for reaching out and reaching down and never giving up on me.  Thank you for every day, every relationship, every gift, and may I never believe I have done it all on my own.  Everything is due to you, O Lord, and so I whisper a word of thanks.  You are good.

Amen

Friday, May 22, 2015

A Prayer for Friday, May 22

All powerful God,
  You have blessed today.  By your will it has come into being, and you have poured goodness and love into it.  Some of this love has been thwarted by the reality of evil among us, and some of it will be passed by due to busy-ness or apathy.
  But some will be captured and claimed, while still more will pass through the lives of the selfless and into the lives of those around them.  They will convey your love to others, and the world will be enriched by the giving acts of these faithful.
  Lord, may my life join this effort, as your love leads me forward, and may I lean into your grace as I attempt to navigate this blessed day.  May I be ever grateful and ever true, and when I stumble, knowingly or not, may I find forgiveness in your eyes and love in your hands.

Amen

Nehemiah 5:14-19

Nehemiah 5:14-19
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Nehemiah walked the walk.  Not only was Nehemiah willing to call out others on their treatment of the needy, but he was able to point to his own actions and demonstrate how he was willing to sacrifice for the benefit of others.  He was willing to work without a salary because he didn't need it, and he was willing to use his own resources to feed others.  He demonstrated, by his actions, his concern for the needy.
  When I look at my own life, I wish I could say there was that kind of proof to back up my words.  I have failed, time and again, to live up to the standard I would like to.  I have not lived in a such a way that I would implore others to duplicate it.  I suspect I am not alone in this position.
  But Christ gives us another chance.  God sets before us examples such as Nehemiah to teach us, and then he offers forgiven and redemption, calling us deeper into life, calling us to repent and live as we are called to live.  We are graciously not cut off at the first sign of failure, but rather invited into a way of life that is based on repenting of our wrongs and endeavoring to try anew the next moment, to once more attempt to imitate the selfless love that is poured out upon us.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

A Prayer for Thursday, May 21

Lord,
  From heaven, you looked down.
  In the beginning, you looked out and saw nothing, for without you there is no creation, no worlds spinning, no stars bursting forth with light, no comets tracing their paths around the universe, careening with wild abandon and leaving an icy trail behind.
  Long ago, you looked down and saw earth filled with life, but you wanted to create in your own image, and so men and women were made, and you called us good.
  When sin tarnished your creation, you looked down in pity and love, and rather than stay fixed in the heavens, you came down, entering into creation and taking on the punishment of sin so that we might take on your glory, your life, your joy and your peace.
  You looked down, and then you acted.
 
  Grant us the courage to look with your eyes, to see the world as you see it, and to act, to follow your Holy Spirit into places that need your light to shine.  Grant us the grace to live with such passion that we serve willingly, recognizing how you are a God who washes the feet of others with patience and love.  Tender and fierce is your love, O God.

You looked down.  And you raised us up.

Amen

Nehemiah 5:6-13

Nehemiah 5:6-13
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Verse 9 reminds me of The Emperor's New Clothes.  While everyone else was content to buy into business as usual, one boy was bold enough to point out the flaws in the system and bring to everyone's attention the brokenness they all were seeing without noticing.
  Here, Nehemiah notices all the pain and brokenness in society.  Nehemiah notices that people are being abused, that the community is not caring for one another, and rather than let it slide by for one more day, he says, simply, "The thing that you are doing is not good."  He names the evil for what it is, and once it is named, in the open, the people can begin to chip away at its influence, replacing evil for good.
  The world needs people willing to be open and honest about what is going on.  We need to see, to notice, to talk about and to act upon the evils in society.  If we keep quiet, then we are giving in, and we are called to be a people who serve and love and care for one another.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

A Prayer for Wednesday, May 20

Loving God,
  Your grace flows down.  It sources from your throne like a river, like light from the sun, rushing forth with passion and energy.  You send it out into the world to all, so that each and every one of us may know that we are infinitely loved by you.  Each of us can be in awe of your redeeming love, recognizing that you pursue us with passion and a desire to unite with us.  Your love never fails, never finds obstacles too great to overcome.
  Forgive us, Lord, when we selfishlessly allow our lives to become dead ends for that love.  You intend for your love to flow into us and through us, so that it animates us into action, allowing others to see your love through our words and actions.  Your love should not isolate, but should unite.  You love all, and we are called to love all with that same love.
  Today, Lord, open my eyes to see the ways I selfishlessly hoard your love, ignoring the call to go out and love others, even those who make it difficult to love them.  May I follow the words of my Savior and love my enemies because you loved me when my sin made me an enemy.  You forgave and redeemed me, and may I be so caught up in adoration that I cannot help but share my love and wonder with others.  Teach me to share your love, my Savior.

Amen

Nehemiah 5:1-5

Nehemiah 5:1-5
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Society moves forward.  In good times and bad, we each struggle forward to make our own place, to secure our livelihood and our family.  We do whatever we can to make sure that today and tomorrow are secure, and when things get rough, we have to fight a little more to ensure this is possible.
  What often happens is that in the midst of trying to take care of ourselves, we forget about others, particularly those who are most vulnerable and have very thin or nonexistent security blankets.  We get so caught up in anxiety and fear about our own situation that we don't have any time or energy lef to care for the least of these, and when they get taken advantage of or pushed around by forces bigger than they are, we fail to notice and believe we cannot do anything to change the situation.
  So the first step is to pay attention.  We're called to lift our eyes above the horizon to our own little world and see what is happening around us, particularly to the poor and the vulnerable.  Are we, as a society, treating them well?  Are we listening?  Do we care?
  And then we are called to pray for the wisdom and courage to step out of our bubble and let our lives intersect, so that we might become a people who are at work caring for one another, serving one another, demonstrating God's love in action.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

A Prayer for Tuesday, May 19

Holy God,
  Your creation astounds.  The earth was formed with such violence, as worlds collided and fell apart, as meteors and volcanoes hurled projectiles, and yet there are places on this earth of such peace, of such beauty, that they astound the soul.  Thank you, Lord, for giving us such a place to call home.  Thank you for creating places that renew the body and the soul, that give us rest, that give us a glimmer of the beauty that exists in you.  Thank you, Lord, for providing diversity and wonder and grandeur on a scale that reminds us how magnificent you are and how small we are, for this scale reminds us how small we are, how dependent we are on you, and how much you care for us.  In the face of the mighty ocean, in the face of the massive mountain, we know that your love for each and every one of us is exceptional and overflowing, and for that amazing love we give you thanks and praise.

Amen

Nehemiah 4:15-23

Nehemiah 4:15-23
English Standard Version (ESV)

  In this passage, an important thing is happening, one that often slides by without noticing, because we get fixated on the narrative.  All the attribution is going to God.  It is God that frustrates the plans of the enemies.  It is God who will fight for us.  It is God who is continually acting, moving, working in the world and making things possible for Nehemiah and the Israelites.
  It's easy to attribute things to our own brilliance or strategy.  It's much harder to give God the credit and acknowledge that we couldn't do anything without God's grace, presence, love and support.  Our culture often focuses on what people are able to achieve on their own, without help from others, but the reality is that without God's help our next breath would not be possible.  God gives us strength and wisdom and ability and community, then sends the Holy Spirit to guide us and encourage us to use our gifts to the best of our ability.  So when we accomplish things in life, it's because we used the gifts that God gave us.
  From time to time, it's important to whisper a word of thanks to God, to keep ourselves humble and remember who deserves the credit and glory.

Monday, May 18, 2015

A Prayer for Monday, May 18

Holy Lord,
  Guide my feet, so that all I do might bring glory to you.  Remind me of the selfless way your son lived, and may I have the strength to serve others, rather than constantly looking to myself.  You could have chosen not to create at all, opting to live for and with yourself, but you sought out companionship and love, even at great cost to yourself.  Remind me to do the same -- may I seek the welfare of others, serving and loving them with the same great love with which you love me, so that I become a conduit of grace for others to see the love of God.

Amen

Nehemiah 4:7-14

Nehemiah 4:7-14
English Standard Version (ESV)

   Two interesting things are happening here.  The first is that ultimate trust of their fate belongs to God.  They pray to God, continuing to turn to him in their hour of need.  They know that God is still with them, that God still loves them and cares for them and will guide them forward.  They never stop believing that God is with them.
  Secondly, they take action.  They recognize the reality of their opponents and take action to prepare themselves for what is to come.  They don't just stop acting -- their faith leads them into action.
  In the same way, our faith should lead us to action, too.  Our belief in God should have external effects on our lives, and we should be different people because of our faith in Christ.  Whether it is preparing for church or preparing to serve selflessly in your work or your neighborhood or your house, your faith should change you in this world.  We are not called to sit back and wait for heaven -- we are called to do our best to join with God in building his kingdom here on earth.

Saturday, May 16, 2015

A Prayer for Saturday, May 16

Awesome God,
  You reign.
  You reign from on high, your throne surrounded by unapproachable light, your glory indescribable in words we can comprehend.  Lightning and thunder surround you, and all who are near bow down in worship, falling prostrate before the throne in awe and glory of you.
  From this power, love pours forth.  Love rains down and covers us, blotting out our imperfections through the blood of the lamb, washing away our sins, cleansing us so that we are counted as worthy to stand before the throne.
  Worthy!  You call us sons and daughters us God, in spite of the fact that we have tainted your name!  We have covered our birthright with the mud of our sin, and yet you have scrubbed every iota of dirt from our hands and our fingernails and our souls, sharing with us the glory that Christ deserves, so that you can reign with us forever and ever.
  You invite us into the Kingdom of God, an everlasting Kingdom where pain and suffering and sorrow and death and inequality and hatred cannot enter.  They stand outside, rattling their sabers, threatening us, unaware of their imminent demise, unaware that destruction will come for them as their intended victims share in the triumph over them.
  You are great, Lord, for when we stray from the path, when our commitment wavers, when our spirit lags, you send your Holy Spirit to inspire us, to strengthen and guide us, to orient our hearts to your true desires, to remind us everything that is good and holy and pure, and you strengthen the ties that bind us so that we might not be isolated and alone, but rather be caught up together in worship and service and love.
  Love pours forth from the throne, where you sit in majesty.  Uncontent to abandon your creations to the fate we deserve, you intervene and redeem us, offering your beloved and perfect Son as an offering to atone for human sin.  Even when we are ungrateful for this monumental act, you offer gratitude and life to all who believe.
  Love pours forth, covering us, rescuing us, preparing us.  Love pours forth.

Thank you.

Amen

Nehemiah 4:1-6

Nehemiah 4:1-6
English Standard Version (ESV)

  "So we built the wall."
  There are many reasons people will oppose the work you are doing.  Some will dislike the cause, some will despise you, while others may not like the people your work is assisting.  Others just like to jeer at anything noble that comes along.
  The more attention paid to the scoffers, the less energy you have to pour into your work.  It is an argument you cannot win, and it will distract you from your labors.  People will oppose your work, that is simply a fact, and in the face of it, you can choose to stay faithful, to stay committed, and to work for the glory of God, trusting God to sort out the skeptics later.
  In the face of opposition, Nehemiah and the Israelites refused to let the taunts distract them, and they eventually restored Jerusalem.
  In the face of whatever opposes your faithful service today, will you focus on the glory of God and work for that purpose?

Thursday, May 14, 2015

A Prayer for Thursday, May 14

Lord,
  The universe is alive with wonder.  There is untold beauty beyond the stars, beauty which we will never grasp with our hands.  There is incredible design in the human body, in the human cell, that you have created.  The natural world is alive and singing your glory with every crashing wave and every thunderstorm.  It testifies to a designer, to a great love and creativity.  With wonder and awe I look around and see a world that you have created.
  I see heartbreak, too, in the brokenness in our creation, in the disasters that destroy lives, uproot families and create scars in our common humanity.  I see pain in the lives of individuals and watch as that pain spreads through relationships.  We have been placed in a good world and have led much of that good be corroded through sin.
  And yet, Lord, you still choose to freely love, and you pour forth grace and beauty into the world, into our lives.  Thank you, Lord, for glimpses of wonder and moments of pure beauty, when your light shines and your love reminds that you are the author of life, and that you are the ancient of days, the wonder of my life and the savior of the world.

Amen

Nehemiah 3:15-32

Nehemiah 3:15-32
English Standard Version (ESV)

  What are your goals?  The names that are recorded in the Book of Life are those that are willing to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ -- that means they don't get to be their own master, but rather have chosen to follow Christ, to bow before him and let him lead.  They have placed their trust in Christ, believing that Christ knows better, and that his wisdom will lead to true and abundant life.  They have done this in the midst of a world that tells them to secure for themselves an everlasting reputation by grasping at power and fame.  They have ignored the siren call to build their own kingdom, recognizing that things built by human hands for human glory will eventually fail.  They have chosen their place in the everlasting kingdom of God, believing that even the lowest in this eternal realm is higher than any place in an earthly Kingdom.

  So what will your choice be?  Will you take your place with the saints of the church, doing the task set before you with faithfulness and gratitude?  Or, out of resentment at being asked to serve, will you go your own way?

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

A Prayer for Wednesday, May 13

God,
  You know the rhythms of my heart and the thoughts in my head.  You know me completely, having knit me together in my mother's womb.  You know what I will say before the words exit my mouth, and you know my intentions fully.
  And you still love me.
  Such love is too wonderful to contemplate.  I want to hem it in, to keep it safe and sound so that I don't damage it, and yet you call me to love as you do:  recklessly, with abandon, wildly, giving love freely in the hopes that it may be returned.  You pour out your love on us, the unworthy, and we so often trample on it carelessly, yet still you love.
  May the purity of your love guide and inspire me, that I may treasure your Word and seek your Spirit, in the hopes of serving you faithfully and spreading the Good News of the Gospel!

Amen

Nehemiah 3:1-14

Nehemiah 3:1-14
English Standard Version (ESV) 

  When you're reading through the Bible, book by book, sections like this are easy to skip.  I see some names, and my eyes glaze over, and I quickly scan through until the action returns.  I always feel good about having read so many chapters of the Bible so quickly, as though God is pleased with my cursory reading of a few chapters of the Bible.
  Stop and think for a moment, though -- these people lived 2,500 years ago, and their contribution to rebuilding Jerusalem is recorded for us.  We can sit and read the names of people who contributed their labor to the effort.  They were rebuilding their home, and they are recognized for all of time here.
  Isn't that incredible?  How many other 2,500 year old names are recorded?  And if they are, it's probably for huge, monumental deeds.  Here, Hattush and Zanoah were just rebuilding a gate.
  In the city of God, we aren't remembered because we are famous or influential.  It's the simple contributions to God's Kingdom, our daily efforts to love and serve, that matter.  Don't reach for the world's honor, which is given and taken for trivial things.  Reach instead for the Kingdom of God, which is built on sacrifice and service, rooted in selfless love, and stands forever.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

A Prayer for Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Awesome God,
  Your throne of grace is perfect.  You dwell upon it, ruling the worlds with grace, majesty and might.  You are strength.
  You also rule from the throne of the cross.  It is wooden and humble, filled with hatred and violence.  Upon it, you appear broken and defeated, but in reality you are preparing for your greatest victory over death itself.  You are pouring yourself out for others, demonstrating that true strength can serve others.
  In you is perfection.  In you is goodness.
  Teach me, Lord, to find comfort and peace in you.  May I rest in your arms as a child rests in his mother's lap.  May I contemplate your perfection and your love, the generous way you pour yourself out for me and for all of humanity.  You love so purely, so passionately, and I am forever blessed by the power of your love, demonstrated in your majesty, your might, your splendor, your sacrifice.

Amen

Nehemiah 2:17-20

Nehemiah 2:17-20
English Standard Version (ESV)

 If you won the lottery, what would you do?
  If you're like me at all, you think about all the things you might do for yourself.  You contemplate the life of leisure you might lead and the freedom that lottery winnings might give you.  You dream of cars and houses and shiny, fancy things.  It's fun.
  But Nehemiah makes a critical point here for me and others like me.  Nehemiah recognizes that because God's hand was upon him for good, he was strengthened and enabled to serve others.  The blessings that God poured into Nehemiah's life were not simply for Nehemiah's benefit--they were to benefit others, and so Nehemiah followed the leading of the Holy Spirit and went forth to bless others.  By doing so, one blessing enriched the lives of many, rather than just one.
  May we look within to see how we have been blessed, and may we have the wisdom to look without to see how those blessings might benefit the entire community, rather than just ourselves.

Monday, May 11, 2015

A Prayer for Monday, May 11

Holy God,
  You have promised that those who seek you will find you, if we seek you with all of our hearts.
  My heart, however, seems divided.  Part of it longs for your presence and love, and that part whispers in the midst of life, guiding me to places where you might feed my soul, where I might be comforted, where I might find your love.
  Much of my heart, however, is filled with carnal appetites, screaming for attention and fulfillment.  It doesn't deploy tact or subtly, rather demanding that I bow to its wants, or else it will scream louder.  I often follow this voice, as its demands seem so much more urgent.
  Create in me a new heart, O Lord, that I might allow you to lead me, to teach me, to guide me in your ways, that I might find true fulfillment in you.  Grant me the wisdom to recognize which appetites are harmful, and the strength to turn to you in the moments of their screaming, that I might find true life and peace in you, and in you alone, my Shepherd and King.

Amen

Nehemiah 2:9-16

Nehemiah 2:9-16
English Standard Version (ESV)

 Some officials like their presence to be announced far ahead of time, so that the town can be ready to receive them when they arrive.  In olden days, this may have meant sending a rider ahead of time, or even just having someone ride along just before the official announcing his arrival.  As times advanced, this changed shape, but there are still many people today who like a grand reception.
  When Nehemiah shows up in Jerusalem, he goes out on an unannounced inspection of the walls.  He doesn't expect any deference or reception -- he has a job to do, and he shows up and does it, filled with humility and purpose.  It reminds me of stories I hear of the current Pope, who tends to just show up places, surprising people and irritating those tasked with looking out for his security!
  As we go about our lives, let us do so with humility and purpose.  When we expect to be treated like royalty, it changes something in our hearts, disappointing us if people don't treat us right.  When we show up expecting nothing but to work hard and serve others, we emulate a servant's heart, and we are able to serve others as Christ did, fulfilling our purpose and enriching the community around us.

Saturday, May 9, 2015

A Prayer for Saturday, May 9, 2015

  Holy God,
  This weekend, as the sun dawns upon the new day, I pray that your love might dawn once more in my heart.  Shine, Lord, bright as the noonday sun, so that there might be no shadows in which darkness might lurk.  May your greatness echo in every corner of my being, that I might recognize my true purpose and source of life, and live as though I am a man pursued by one overwhelming passion, to recognize and honor you in all my moments of life.
  Shine, Lord.  And may I reflect back to you the glory you deserve.

Amen

Nehemiah 2:1-8

Nehemiah 2:1-8
English Standard Version (ESV)

 In verse 4, the King asks Nehemiah what he is requesting.  Nehemiah isn't sure how to respond, so he prays.  Only then does he speak to the King, setting in motion the events of the rest of the book, which are dramatic and vital to the ongoing life of the Israelite community.  It all begins with a prayer.
  Now, we could dwell on what this prayer might have included.  We could focus on the specific words and try to determine how we can imitate this prayer.  More important, however, is the simple fact that when presented with a major decision, Nehemiah opts to go to God in prayer.  It speaks to a dependence on God, to an orientation to God that says that all major decisions will go through God first.  This simple fact tells us that Nehemiah is a man who seeks God's will above all else.  We learn about Nehemiah's heart, about his motives, about his true love.
  When we are faced with decisions, big and small, what do our actions reveal about our hearts?  Are we seeking to be obedient and faithful?  Are we prepared to follow wherever God might lead?  Will we turn to God first?
  By seeking God in prayer, we lead our hearts down the paths of faithfulness, setting our lives up as moment following moment in which we seek to subsume our own will to God's, allowing his glory to triumph in our human hearts.

Thursday, May 7, 2015

A Prayer for Thursday, May 7

Good morning, Lord,
  A new day is dawning.  There have existed countless days before this one, and it seems as though countless more still await their chance.
  And yet this day matters.  It matters how I spend it, how I choose to use my time and my energy and my gifts and the life within me.
  Guide me, Lord, so that I may be a good steward of this precious gift.  Help me see today as a treasure, and may I be faithful in big and small things today.  May I be loving and patient, kind and generous, that others may be enriched by my presence.  May I recognize the servant hearts of Christ and be overwhelmed by gratitude to the point that I am willing to serve others.  Guide me, O God, in your footsteps, that I may serve well today.

Amen

Nehemiah 1:5-11

Nehemiah 1:5-11
English Standard Version (ESV)

 I love Nehemiah's prayer.  I think it captures the human condition so well.
  He begins by praising God, rooting his prayer in a reminder of how awesome God is and how dependent we are upon him.  He then moves to confession, recognizing that we have not lived in the way God has called us to live -- we have fallen short, and much of the pain and brokenness in the world is a direct failure of our inability to live together.  But, remembering the grace and mercy of God, Nehemiah still calls upon God, trusting that our God will forgive and restore, so that we may still move forward, rather than being forever trapped in our sin like a fly in a spider web.

  There is always a way forward for us.  God restores, redeems and resurrects.  No matter what our past contains, individually and collectively, there is a way forward for us to find life and redemption in Christ Jesus.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

A Prayer for Wednesday, May 6

Holy God,
  Your light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
  There is plenty of darkness.  I see it around me, and I see it within.  The sin that has covered us since Adam continues to erode the soil of the soul, and it pains me when I see what we are capable of doing to each other.  The darkness is strong.
  And yet, within that darkness, in the midst of night, the light shines. It has shined for years, through the lives of the saints of the church, through Moses and David and Peter and Mary and Ruth.  They oriented their lives so that the glory might point to you, so that their efforts might beat back the dark, so that others may focus more on the light than the dark.
  I pray, Lord, that my own life might be a contribution to the struggle between light and dark, that your light that shines so clearly in Christ Jesus might shine in me, that his love might echo from horizon to horizon, that the power of his name might be clear.  May I let my life contribute to his glory, and may I one day dwell with you in unapproachable light.

Amen

Nehemiah 1:1-4

Nehemiah 1:1-4
English Standard Version (ESV)

 At times, it is appropriate to act immediately.  If you hear of someone trapped by earthquake rubble, it would be inappropriate to sit down and wait for days, to discern what the will of God was.
  At other times, especially when faced with a long-term situation that needs revision, it is best to stop, to fast and pray and see where God is leading.  Acting immediately on impulse can be unwise.  Waiting on the community and for the Holy Spirit to lead can remind us that we depend on God, that justice ultimately belongs to God.  God will show us how to respond--we just have to be willing to wait on God and trust that he will light the path and lead the way forward, and then we are called to follow with courage and conviction.

May your path today be clear, and may God open our eyes to see how we are called to act in the world around us

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

A Prayer for Tuesday, 5/5

  Holy God,
  There is such need in the world around me.  There are untold stories of suffering in Nepal, including homelessness and mourning.  Lives have been destroyed, families torn apart, routines disrupted, and there seems to be more despair than hope.
  It goes on around the world.  Civil war, strife, poverty, hopelessness, oppression, violence, homelessness... the list is longer than I can keep up with, and I never seem able to fully contemplate the realities.  The numbers overwhelm and the details fade into something manageable, something distant, something to which I cannot relate.
  Renew your compassion in my heart, O God, that I might weep with pain at the stories of suffering, and that I might examine my own life, my own heart, to see how I might best serve my neighbors, my brothers and sisters in this town and the next, around to the other side of the world.  Forgive me, Lord, for my emotional distance from those who suffer, and guide my hands and feet, my words and thoughts, so that I might involve myself in the lives of those around me who wander through the valley of the shadow of death and might wonder if another will share their journey and remind them of the presence of God that is always near.

Amen

Jonah 4

Jonah 4 
English Standard Version (ESV)

 I do this.  I'm very grateful that my weaknesses aren't exposed for everyone to read about, but it's helpful for us to think about what we might learn.  I think we've all done this--in the midst of the story, we focus solely on us.
  Here, Jonah is worried about being embarrassed-- he thought it would help his reputation if Nineveh was actually destroyed, as though the mercy of God saving 120,000 people is not an amazing thing. Jonah wanted the story to be about him, and the people of Nineveh, well, they just didn't mean anything to him.
  It's easy for us to make the story about us.  We become self-centered, and dramatic things going on in the world around us are diminished in our sight if they don't involve us.  We care about ourselves, and the rest of the world, and what God is doing, fades into background noise.
  So a prayer for us is to take a deep breath, exhale, and then pray for God to help us see ourselves as part of a global community, where God is always at work and people, billions of them, need to see God's love and grace and mercy and peace.  To that end, we pray for the people of Nepal, Nigeria, New York and our neighbors.  We pray for Syria and for non-Christians everywhere.  We look for evidence that God is at work and we celebrate it.  We pray for the light to shine, and for our lives to reflect the glory of God into the world around us.

Monday, May 4, 2015

A Prayer for Monday, May 4

Holy God,
  On this new morning, may awe catch up with me, may it bowl me over, and may I lose myself in wonder.
  Your love stretches from age to age, and your mercy covers the horizons, so that I can never find myself beyond it's reach.  Your grace pours down from the heavens, and it drenches me, so that I am soaked to the soul.  Your goodness reigns, and I bow before your throne.
  You are good, Lord, even if I do not recognize or understand how you are at work.  At times my sin rages within me, because I selfishly demand one thing or another.  Quiet the storms within me, that I may patiently sit before you, learning from your kindness and grace, growing in love and faithfulness.
  Teach me to be confidant that you are more than enough for this curious soul.

Amen

Jonah 3

Jonah 3 
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Jonah's sermon is not exactly a well-crafted, carefully polished gem of a sermon.  It's not taught in preaching classes so we can learn to emulate it.  It's short and to the point, but lacks any evidence or reasons to believe it.  Jonah says seven words.
  And yet, after those 7 words, an entire city, from the king to the beasts, repents.  Sackcloth and ash become the decorations of choice, in hopes that God may relent from this punishment.  The people are convicted to the heart.
  What this tells me is that the Holy Spirit was already active in the hearts and minds of the people of Nineveh.  God had been at work, preparing their hearts for a message of repentance, and when it came the floodgates were opened.  Nineveh may not have been aware of what God was doing, but God was at work.
  The message for us is that when we go forth into the world and engage as disciples, we need to trust that God is at work in the hearts and minds of people around us.  Communicating the Good News doesn't mean we have to be perfect, we just have to be available.  God is already at work in the people around us--he just wants to use us to continue to deliver the message of God's love and grace.

Friday, May 1, 2015

A Prayer for Friday, May 1

Holy God,
  I'm always so curious about what's next.  I want to peer just beyond the horizon to see what you have in store, to peek into what the future holds.
  Help me be content with now, with today, with the present.  May I revel in the moment and give thanks for right now, resting in you, letting go of anxiety and restlessness about the future.  You are good, and whatever comes will arrive in due time, and when it comes I will deal with it.  Until then, may I simply rest and rejoice in your goodness and provision.

Amen

Jonah 2

Jonah 2
 English Standard Version (ESV)

 When the darkness closes in and all feels lost, there is still a light that shines in the darkness.
  Jonah has fled from God, directly disobeying his order.  God has brought a storm that leads to Jonah being tossed overboard into a violent storm.  Surely this is the end, right?  Surely, there is no hope for Jonah, especially since he has fled from God and has been swallowed by a giant fish.  This is how it Jonah goes, right?
  God never gives up.  There is never a situation in which God says we are too far gone.  God's love penetrates the deepest despair.  God reaches out, even if we have recoiled and rejected God.  God loves you, and God will pursue you, and there is hope for whatever situation you face.