Tag Archives: prayer

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In
this week between Palm Sunday and Easter, we remember Jesus’ suffering
for us, from the time he entered Jerusalem, through his crucifixion and
burial. As we walk through this week, we’ll look at prophetic verses
from Isaiah, written nearly 700 years before the crucifixion, as well as
some of Jesus’ words recorded in the gospels. Let’s ponder these
passages deeply, thinking about how they speak to us and our faith or
lack of faith, and allow them to fill us with gratitude for all that
Jesus has done for us.

Monday: 
As [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and
said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you
peace– but now it is hidden from your eyes.” Luke 19:41-42

What in my life robs me of the peace Jesus offers and causes him to weep over me? Ask God to reveal what is hidden from your eyes that is keeping you from experiencing his peace.

Tuesday: 
Who believes what we’ve heard and seen?
   Who would have thought God’s saving power would look like this? Isaiah 53:1
Do you believe the gospel message? It’s different than anything the world has to offer, and that is good news!
Wednesday: 
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
   a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
   he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Isaiah 53:3
Jesus was despised, rejected, and humiliated, even by those whom he loved and for whom he suffered. Come to him with your own hurts, shames, and ways you’ve been rejected, knowing he has suffered in these ways for you.

Thursday: 
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love
has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  John
15:12-13
 

Imagine a friend who loves you so much that he or she would choose to die in your place so you could live. Jesus did that! Ponder his amazing love today, and pray that you would grow in your ability and willingness to sacrificially love others.

Friday: 
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
   he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
   and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
   each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
   the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5-6
Jesus took all the punishment for our sins– pierced, crushed, punished– for each of us, even though he had no sin. Sit in silence a while, meditating on what great love it took to do that for us, for you. How will you respond to such love?

Saturday: 
And [Jesus] said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be
rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he
must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Luke 9:22
 

Jesus told his disciples that he would be killed and then would be raised to life on the third day. He did indeed rise, and tomorrow we celebrate that resurrection. Today let’s ponder all that led up to his resurrection, so that tomorrow we can celebrate with true joy.

Weekly Prayer Guide: Denying Oneself

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I’ve decided to start putting the weekly prayer guide that I write on my blog. This one is a bit late for this week, but I figured I’d post it anyway, and after this will post them at the beginning of the week, for those who like to use them in their prayers each day.
Then
he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever
wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and
follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but
whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What
good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed
of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of
Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with
the holy angels.” Mark 8:34-38
Monday:
Jesus calls us to deny ourselves so that he, rather than our own self
or desires, is at the center of our life. Beyond denying ourselves some
pleasure, this means yielding control of our life. Let’s meditate on this
today.
Tuesday:
Taking up our cross means following Jesus no matter what suffering or
death that might involve. Are we doing that every day?
Wednesday:
In what ways are we tempted to try to save some aspect of our life at
the expense of living fully for Christ and the gospel? Let’s ask Jesus to
strengthen us to live more fully for him.
Thursday:
Ponder the value of eternal life in Christ as compared to what the
world has to offer. Ask God to increase your longing for him.
Friday: There is no way we could have bought or earned eternal life. Thank God for the incomparable gift of life for your soul.
Saturday: Pray for sufficient faith and courage to stand firm when you’re tempted to deny Christ in any way.

Advent Musings- Week 1

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December– a month of counting down shopping days till Christmas, rushing to get the tree and house decorated, and fitting in parties and other seasonal social events? Or a season that includes times of quiet reflection, of preparing to celebrate Jesus’ birth, of anticipating his return some time in the future?

Today is the first day of Advent, and I am pondering how I will manage my schedule over the next few weeks. I know I’ll be preparing gifts, and since most of those gifts will be paintings I do, I will be occupied with that for much of the month. I enjoy doing that, as long as I don’t leave it all for the last week. I hope to invite friends over for tea at various times in the coming weeks. And I do also plan to decorate the house and the tree.

But those things are not my first thought as I look ahead toward Christmas. I know if I’m not careful, these good activities will fill all my time, and I’ll miss what I most long for in the depths of my being–connection with Jesus.  Jesus, who was born to save us, so that we can live in relationship with God. Jesus, who came to earth in order to reveal God’s great love for us. Jesus, who will someday come again to make everything whole and right.

Below is a daily prayer guide I wrote for this week, to help us draw apart from our busy schedules a little while each day for some quiet communion with our Lord. There’s a verse or verses to meditate on each day, to ponder how it applies to us and what it reveals of Jesus. Let’s allow these verses to lead us into quiet communion with our Savior, so that we don’t forget him in the midst of this season that bears his name.

Monday: Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5

Ask God to guide and teach you, so that you can fully experience the hope he is offering you.
 
Tuesday: Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners– of whom I am the worst. 1 Timothy 1:15


Think about the sin that has separated you from God, and then thank Jesus for coming to set you free from that sin, opening the way for you to come into a loving relationship with God.
 
Wednesday:  This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus… 2 Timothy 1:9-10


Meditate on the thought of Jesus Christ coming as a Savior, revealing God’s grace for you.
 
Thursday: We have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 1 John 4:14

Ponder the fact that Scripture is full of eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection. 

Friday: He will save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

Let this verse run through your mind throughout the day, assuring you of the gift of salvation for all who put their trust in Jesus.

Saturday: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God… In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. Isaiah 40:1, 3-5

Meditate on and draw comfort from these timeless words of hope.