daily prayer with scripture

Each morning on Monday through Thursday, Pastor Young-Mee Park will send an email with a Bible verse and prayer. If you would like to receive these emails, please subscribe to our enews by clicking here. 

  • thursday, july 15

    It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. (Ephesians 1:11, The Message)

     

    Who we are and what we are living for – these are big questions, and we often struggle to find answers, we often feel lost and confused. Have mercy on us when we try to find the meaning of purpose of our lives in wrong places. Gently and graciously, bring us back into your fold and remind us who and whose we are. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

  • wednesday, july 14

    Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! (Ephesians 1:7-8, The Message)

     

    In Christ, you freed us, O God. You made us free - not barely free, but abundantly free! May we believe in this truth. May we live into this reality. May we never forfeit what you have made possible through the sacrifice of the Messiah. All our sins and sorrows surrendered on the altar of the Cross, may we live freely and joyfully. Amen.

  • tuesday, july 13

    Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:4-5, The Message)

     

    How awesome is this! You had us in mind even before the foundation of the world! You had settled on us as the focus of your love even before we were born! Long, long ago, you decided that we were your family! May we dwell in this truth and never let anyone or anything lead us astray. Amen.

  • monday, july 12

    Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. (Psalm 24:3-4)


    Help us keep our hands clean and our hearts pure. Helps us tune our souls to things that are good, true, and holy. May we stay away from what is false and deceitful. May we be holy as you are holy; may we be true as you are true. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen

  • thursday, july 8

    The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. (Psalm 28:7)


    You, indeed, are our strength and our shield, O God. You, indeed, are the source of everything that makes life possible and good. We thank you for your gift of life that knows no ends. We lift our hearts and offer songs of praise to you. May your name be glorified, and your will be done, in our lives and the world. Amen.

  • wednesday, july 7

    Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)


    Forgive us when we feel discouraged thinking that we are weak, that we do not have what we need to secure our existence in the world and be successful. Your power is made perfect in our weakness; your grace abounds in our vulnerability! May we go forth, secured in your grace, rejoicing in your strength! Amen.

  • tuesday, july 6

    He (Jesus) ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts. (Mark 6:8)


    You tell us that you are to travel light, taking nothing for our journey except a staff! Yes, indeed, your grace is enough; it’s all we need. Your strength comes into its own in our weakness. May we travel light, fully relying on your grace! Amen.

  • monday, july 5

    He (Jesus) called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. (Mark 6:7)


    You call us and send us out, Jesus, to do your work – healing the sick and sharing your word of life. Help us carry on the task you entrusted to us with renewed resolve and commitment. May we go forth, assured that you have given us authority over the unclean spirits – the power to resist evil in whatever forms it presents itself. Amen.

  • thursday, july 1

    O Israel, wait and watch for GOD—

    with GOD’s arrival comes love,

    with GOD’s arrival comes generous redemption.

    (Psalm 130: 7, The Message)


    We wait and watch for you, O God. We wait for you to come with faithful love. We wait for you to come with generous redemption. Do not leave us in fearful and lonely places. Do not leave us alone in this broken and hurting world. Come and rescue us! Come and restore us! In your holy name we pray. Amen.

  • wednesday, june 30

    The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart’s been in the right place all along. You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. (2 Corinthians 8: 10-11, The Message)

     

    You have started a good work in us, O God. And you have given us what it takes to finish it up. May we never let our good intentions grow stale but stay the course. In your strength and power, with our hearts and minds constantly renewed, may we accomplish the good work you have started in us. Amen. 

  • tuesday, june 29

    Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you]—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. (2 Corinthians 8:7)

     

    Thank you for showering the congregation of Hinsdale UMC with so many amazing gifts - faith, speech, knowledge, commitment, and love! May we also excel in the work of grace! Whatever task you set before us, may we undertake it with cheerful and generous hearts! Through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen. 

  • monday, june 28

    He (Jesus) said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5: 34)

     

    As you made the suffering woman well, make us well, O Jesus. As you called the nameless woman “daughter,” call us your children and restore us to your peace. From any disease that destroys or diminishes us, heal us and make us whole, that we may live a healthy and happy life you want for all your children. Amen.

  • thursday, june 24

    Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

    and he brought them out from their distress;

    he made the storm be still,

    and the waves of the sea were hushed. (Psalm 107:28-29)


    Thank you for your faithful love, O God! Thank you for the wondrous work of your hands! We were in distress, and you brought us out from our trouble. We were on a stormy sea, and you calmed the storm and hushed the waves. Be our strength and shield, O God. We put our trust in you. Amen

  • wednesday, june 23

    God’s a safe-house for the battered,

    a sanctuary during bad times.

    The moment you arrive, you relax;

    you’re never sorry you knocked.

    (Psalm 9: 9-10, The Message)


    You, O God, are a safe-house for the battered. You, O God, are a sanctuary during bad times. When life gets stormy, may we find comfort and strength in you. No matter the circumstances, may we come to you, knock, and relax. Amen. 

  • tuesday, june 22

    He (Jesus) got up and gave orders to the wind, and he said to the lake, “Silence! Be still!” The wind settled down and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4: 39, Common English Bible)

     

    You give orders, Jesus, and the wind settles down. You speak, Jesus, and the waves are hushed. Speak to us, Jesus. Speak to the voices inside our heads that tell us that we are not enough. Speak to the voices around us that try to lead us astray. May we be still and know that you are God. Amen.

  • monday, june 21

    My grace is enough; it’s all you need.

    My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

    (2 Corinthians 12: 9a, The Message)


    We are weak. We are feeble. We are limited. Yet, you, Jesus, are strong! May we never let our limitations cut us down to size, but let your strength move in on our weakness. May we let you take over, for your grace is enough, and it’s all we need. Amen.  

  • thursday, june 17

    Some people trust in chariots, others in horses;

    but we praise the Lord’s name.

    They will collapse and fall,

    but we will stand up straight and strong. (Palm 20: 7-8, CEB)


    May we trust in you, O God. May we sing praises to you, O God. Standing up straight and strong, may we sing of your glory, may we sing of your power. May we sing of surrender to you, God, for you alone are holy, you alone are eternal. Amen.

  • wednesday, june 16

    Blessed are those who trust in the Lord,

    whose trust is the Lord.

    They shall be like a tree planted by water,

    sending out its roots by the stream.

    It shall not fear when heat comes,

    and its leaves shall stay green;

    in the year of drought it is not anxious,

    and it does not cease to bear fruit. (Jeremiah 17: 7-8)

     

    Plant us by the streams, O God, that our roots may reach down to the water - the water of your grace, the water of your love. Through the hottest of summers or in the time of drought, may we never be stressed, but remain green and never fail to bear fruit. Amen.

  • tuesday, june 15

    Consider a mustard seed. When scattered on the ground, it’s the smallest of all the seeds on the earth; but when it’s planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all vegetable plants. It produces such large branches that the birds in the sky are able to nest in its shade.” (Mark 4: 31-32, CEB)


    May we grow like mustard seeds. May we sprout and grow into vital and vibrant plants, producing large branches, that the birds in the sky may come and nest in our shade. May we be a safe haven for all who huger for a better life. May we be a home for all who thirst for a deeper faith. Amen.

  • monday, june 14

    He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. (Mark 4: 26-27, NIV)

     

    Your Kingdom grows everywhere, O God. The seeds of life you scattered on the ground sprouts night and day, whether we sleep or get up. May we trust in your power at work in the smallest of the seeds. May we rejoice in your grace bringing new life and growth in hidden and unexpected places. Amen.

  • thursday, june 10

    How wonderful, how beautiful,

        when brothers and sisters get along!

    Yes, that’s where God commands the blessing,

        ordains eternal life. (Psalm 133: 1 & 3b, The Message)


    You want us, your children, to get along. You want us, your family, to live together in harmony. Life shared in true solidarity and kinship – that is where you command the blessing! Help us embrace each other with care and compassion, that we may live a blessed life of overflowing joy and peace. In your wonderful and beautiful name we pray. Amen.

  • wednesday, june 9

    Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. (Colossians 3: 14)

     

    Your love, O Jesus, is the only thing that can bind everything together in perfect harmony. Your love, O Christ, is the only bond that cannot be broken. Let your love grab us deep inside and flow through us, that we may be one and the world will know that we are your children. In your holy name we pray. Amen.  

  • tuesday, june 8

    Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Colossians 3: 13)

     

    We often feel irritated. We often feel offended. We often feel frustrated. We live in a world divided by so many different opinions and strong feelings. And we just don’t seem to be able to reach across the aisles! May we forgive each other as you have forgiven us. May we embrace each other as you have embraced us. Amen.

  • monday, june 7

    As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

     

    Thank you, God, for choosing us for the good, true, and holy life of the beloved. As your chosen ones, may we clothe ourselves with compassion and kindness. May we be humble, gentle, and patient. With quiet strength and discipline, may we live a life worthy of the calling. Amen. 

  • thursday, june 3

    Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)


    You are the Lord of sea and sky, snow and rain. You are the God of wind and flame, the universe and a sparrow. You hear your people’s cry, you bear your people’s pain, and you weep for love of them. When you call us to be your hands and feet and bear your light to them, may we answer. “Here we are, send us!” May we answer and go. Amen.

  • wednesday, june 2

    The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of[ the Holy Spirit be with all of you. (2 Corinthians 13: 13)

     

    You let your presence and power known in many different ways - in ordinary, as well as extraordinary ways, in old and familiar, but also new, fresh, and unexpected ways. With your amazing grace, extravagant love, and intimate friendship, you are with us. In humility and gratitude, may we open ourselves to your blessings. Freely and fully, may we participate in your life of overflowing joy. Amen.  

  • tuesday, june 1

    The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  (John 3: 8)

     

    We do not know where it comes from. We do not see where it goes. Yet, like a wild wind, your Spirit blows where it chooses, reenergizing and rebirthing everything in its passage. Pour out your Spirit on us, O God, and renew us and refresh us! Make us be born again as people of the Spirit! Amen

  • monday, may 31

    Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, 
     ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
    Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;

    worship the Lord in holy splendor. (Psalm 29: 1-2)


    We stand in awe before your glory. We stand at attention before your power. What an amazing world you have created! We bow down before you in holy splendor. May our songs of praise rise to you every morning. Holy, holy, holy; merciful and mighty; God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; blessed Trinity! Amen.

  • thursday, may 27

    And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. (Luke 5: 37-38)


    Fill us with new wine, O God. And give us new wineskins, too! Fill us with fresh vision of your reign and give us courage to let go of the old wineskins. However useful they might have been, may we be able to let go of the old ways of doing things and begin anew. Filled with new wine, may we be able to move forward toward your bright and beautiful future. Amen.

  • wednesday, may 26

    Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” (Acts 2: 7-8, 12)


    We often feel that we are speaking different languages. We often feel that we cannot understand each other. Send us your Spirit, O God, that we may understand each other. Pour out your Spirit on us, O God, that we may see visions and dream dreams. Amen.

  • tuesday, may 25

    O Lord, how manifold are your works!

    In wisdom you have made them all;

    the earth is full of your creatures.

    When you send forth your spirit, they are created;

    and you renew the face of the ground. (Psalm 104: 24 & 30)

     

    Creator God, you sent forth your spirit and created the universe. You breathed your life into all living creatures and filled the earth with your glory. What a wildly wonderful world! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side. Let loose your breath again, O God, and renew the face of the ground. Pour out your Spirit on us and give us new life. Amen.

  • monday, may 24

    When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16: 13)

     

    Come, Holy Spirit, come! We need you to guide us into all the truth. Come, sweet Spirit, come! We need your comforting presence. We need your transforming power. Come, Holy Spirit, come! Come in your own gentle way; come in your strength and power. Fall on us now and refresh, renew, and restore us. Amen.  

daily prayer with scripture

Each morning on Monday through Thursday, Pastor Young-Mee Park will send an email with a Bible verse and prayer. If you would like to receive these emails, please subscribe to our enews by clicking here. 

  • thursday, may 20

    Happy are those

    who do not follow the advice of the wicked,

    or take the path that sinners tread,

    or sit in the seat of scoffers;

    but their delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and on his law they meditate day and night. (Psalm 1: 1-2)


    Make us truly happy persons, O God! Keep us from walking in step with the wicked. Make us stay away from the path that sinners take. Help us not to take our seat among the disrespectful and the know-it-alls. Instead, may we thrill to your Word. May we chew on Scripture day and night, that we may be truly happy persons. Amen.

  • wednesday, may 19

    And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 1: 11)


    You gave us eternal life, O God. Through Christ Jesus, you gave us a life that never ends. You gave us a real life, O God. Through Jesus’ words and deeds, walk and talk, you showed us how we are to live - what a true, rich, and abundant life looked like. May we have Jesus and have life. In him and through him, we may live a life of faith and hope, love and grace. Amen.

  • tuesday, may 18

    In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1: 13)


    Thank you for your word of truth! Thank you for the gospel of your salvation! Thank you for the seal of your Holy Spirit! May we believe in you and live our lives firmly grounded in this truth. Each moment of our lives, each step of our journey, may we live as people signed, saved, and sealed by your Holy Spirit. Amen.

  • monday, may 17

    You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. (Acts 1: 8-9)

     

    Lord Jesus, you want us to be your witnesses. You want us to go into the world with the power of the same Spirit that was with you. Pour out your Spirit on us, Lord Jesus, that in our homes and neighborhoods, in our lives and places of work, may we be witnesses of your forgiving grace and healing love. Amen.

  • thursday, may 13

    You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. (John 15:16) 


    In your image, you have created us, O God. And, through Christ Jesus, you have chosen us and called us. You appointed us to be fruit bearers. In your Name and Spirit, may we go out into the world and produce fruit. With your Power and your Word, may we bear fruit that will last and not spoil. Amen.

  • wednesday, may 12

    I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. (John 15: 15)


    You let us in on everything about heaven. You have made known to us everything about your Kin-dom. As your friends who are privy to your thinking and planning, may we join you in your “doing.” May we love as you loved, may we serve as you served. Amen.

  • tuesday, may 11

    For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. (1 John 5: 3-4)


    Your commandments are not difficult. They are not troublesome. They are not burdensome. Instead, they bring peace and harmony. They bring hope and joy. As people born of faith, may we follow you and defeat the ways of this world. In faith, may we conquer the world of sin and hatred. Amen. 

  • monday, may 10

    I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15: 11-12)

     

    Let your joy be in us, and let our joy be complete in you, Jesus. Let your joy be our joy and let it wholly mature in us. May we love one another as you have loved us. May we follow you in the wondrous life of love, so that you may rejoice in us, and we in you. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

  • thursday, may 6

    We love because he first loved us. Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars. (1 John 4: 19-20a)


    You loved us first, Jesus. And you commanded us, “As I have loved you, love one another.” May we love you with all our hearts and souls. May we love our brothers and sisters with all our might. May we abide in true love and not be liars, so that we may have life and have it abundantly. In your holy name we pray. Amen. 

  • wednesday, may 5

    There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. (1 John 4:18)


    Let your love mature in us and have the run of the house, O God. Deeply rooted in your love, may we live a life of freedom and joy. Fully formed in your grace, may we grow into a life of perfect love. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. 

  • tuesday, may 4

    “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. (John 15: 1-2)


    Remove it, O God! Any branch that does not bear fruit, any branch that does not foster health, growth, and vitality -- remove it, O God. Prune us back and let new buds sprout. Prune us back and let new branches spring forth. Prune us back and help us grow healthier, stronger, more faithful, and more fruitful. Amen.

  • monday, may 3

    Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. (John 15: 4)

     

    Thank you for abiding in us, O God! May we abide in you just as you do in us. May we be joined with you intimately and organically and receive from you all the nutrients that make life possible and good. As branches on the vine, connected to you and to one another, may we prosper and bear fruit. Amen.  

  • thursday, april 29

    Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me. (Psalm 23: 4)


    Even when the way goes through Death Valley, we fear no danger because you walk at our side. Even when we hit arid deserts and barren wilderness, we are not afraid because you are with us. Your rod and your staff— they protect us. Your trusty shepherd’s crook – it comforts us. Be our Shepherd, Good Lord. We are your sheep. Amen. 

  • wednesday, april 28

    Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. (1 John 3:18)


    Love not just in word or speech, but in truth and action – this is what you showed us, and this is what you call us to. You gave your life for us, and you want us to do the same – to give our lives for each other. May we care and share, deeply and truthfully, as you did with us. May we love and serve, freely and joyfully, as you did for us. Amen.

  • tuesday, april 27

    “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. (John 10: 11-12)


    There are so many “hired hands” out there who do not care about us, the sheep! They are only in it for their own interest. But to you, Jesus, we matter! You know us. And you care for us. You are even willing to lay down your own life for us. May we listen to you and you only! May we follow you and you only, that we may have life and have it abundantly. Amen.

  • monday, april 26

    Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. (Psalm 23: 6)

     

    Jesus, our Good Shepherd, your goodness and mercy chase after us wherever we go. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, your grace and love pursue us all the days of our lives. When we feel lost, help us remember that you are there to guide us on right paths. When we feel weighed down, help us remember that you are there to restore our souls. May hang on to this truth and never let it go. Amen.

  • thursday, april 22

    Many people say,

    “We can’t find goodness anywhere.

    The light of your face has left us, Lord!” 

    But you have filled my heart with more joy

    than when their wheat and wine are everywhere!

    (Psalm 4: 6-7, Common English Bible)


    There are many who say that they can’t find goodness anywhere. There are many who say that you do not exist, that you have left us. But, you, O God, have filled our hearts with joy – a joy that is more and better than when wheat and whine are everywhere! Your joy is our strength, O God. Fill us with your strength, fill us with your joy! Amen.

  • wednesday, april 21

    But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own. (Acts 3: 2-3, The Message)


    You call us your children. And you are saying that this is only the beginning! May we see you in Christ Jesus, O God. And, seeing, may we become like him. With the purity of his life as a model, may we grow more loving and more holy each day. Looking forward to your Coming, may we stay ready. Amen.

  • tuesday, april 20

    “Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus. (Acts 3:19, The Message)


    Wipe it away, O God, our shame and guilt, regrets and disappointments! Wipe it away, O God, our fear and doubt, remorse and grief! Wipe it all away, O God, anything that binds, distorts, or diminishes us! Pour out your blessings upon us that we may be refreshed and begin anew. In the name of our Risen Lord we pray. Amen.

  • monday, april 19

    He said to them, “Why are you startled? Why are doubts arising in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet. It’s really me! Touch me and see, for a ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones like you see I have.” (Luke 24: 38-39, Common English Bible)

     

    We are often startled and have doubts arising in our hearts. But you assure us that you are with us in flesh and bones. Give us eyes to see you, O Jesus. Grant us hearts to believe you, O Christ. May we make this life’s journey fully aware of your presence, fully relying on your grace. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

  • thursday, april 15

    The apostles continued to bear powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and an abundance of grace was at work among them all. (Acts 4:33, Common English Bible)


    You want us to bear witness to your resurrection in this world. You want us to be your hands and feet, so that an abundance of grace may flow through us into our communities and the world. Grant us grace, O God. Transform us from hesitant flowers to bold witnesses to your resurrection. Amen.

  • wednesday, April 14

    Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20: 21-22) 


    Breathe on us, O Christ, and fill us with life anew. Breathe on us, O Christ, until our hearts are pure and that our will is one with yours. Breathe on us, O Christ, that we may receive your Spirit and love the way you love. In your name and Spirit we pray. Amen.

  • tuesday, april 13

    Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” (John 10:27)

    O Crucified and Risen One!  You want us to see your wounds. You want us to touch them and feel them, for in your wounds is our healing. In our moments of pain and anguish, may we remember your wounded body and find strength to carry on. In our moments of doubt and fear, may we remember your love shown in your suffering and death and believe. Amen.

  • monday, april 12

    When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." (John 20:19)

     

    Just like the disciples, we often find ourselves hiding behind locked doors. Just like the disciples, we often find ourselves locked in a prison cell of fear. Come to us, O Risen Christ! Break into our lives and free us from whatever that binds us. In our moments of guilt and shame, remorse and grief, come to us, O Risen Christ, and grant us peace.  Amen.

  • thursday, april 8

    Our true identity is flat and plain, not puffed up with the wrong kind of ingredient. The Messiah, our Passover Lamb, has already been sacrificed for the Passover meal, and we are the Unraised Bread part of the Feast. So let’s live out our part in the Feast, not as raised bread swollen with the yeast of evil, but as flat bread—simple, genuine, unpretentious. (1 Corinthians 5: 7-8, The Message)


    More often than not, we puff ourselves up with the wrong kind of ingredient – our pride, our pretense, our prowess. More often than not, we swell with our importance. Yet, you tell us our true identity is flat and plain. May we live our lives true to who we are called to be – simple, genuine, and unpretentious. Through Jesus, our Messiah and Passover Lamb. Amen.

  • wednesday, april 7

    And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” (Mark 16: 2-3)


    Who will roll away the stone for us, we often wonder - the stone of fear, the stone of doubt, the stone of pain, the stone of grief, the stone of remorse… Roll it away, O God, whatever it is! Roll it away and unleash the power of resurrection life for us! In the name of our Risen Lord we pray. Amen.

  • tuesday, april 6

    The stone the builders rejected

    has become the cornerstone;

    the Lord has done this,

    and it is marvelous in our eyes.

    (Psalm 118: 22-23)


    Somewhere along the way to the cross, they rejected you. They betrayed, denied, and deserted you. Yet, you rose from the dead and became the rock of our salvation. Yes, you are the cornerstone of our faith! May we rejoice in these your marvelous deeds. May we rise with you as witnesses of your Resurrection life. Amen.

  • monday, april 5

    This is the very day God acted—

    let’s celebrate and be festive!

    Salvation now, God. Salvation now!

    Oh yes, God—a free and full life!

    (Psalm 118:24-25, The Message)

     

    You acted, O God. You raised Jesus up from the dead, and with him, all of us who believe. May we celebrate and be festive! May we rejoice in your salvation! Now and always, may we live a free and full life of Easter joy! Amen.

  • thursday, april 1

    The Last Supper

    While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 15: 22-25)


    Thank you for the bread of life! Thank you for the cup of salvation! Thank you for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself for us! May we come to your Table remembering what you said, remembering what you did. May we gather at your Table, not because we are worthy, but because we are hungry - hungry for a deeper faith, hungry for a better life. Then, fed and nourished, we may go out into the world in the strength of your Spirit to care and share, love and serve. Amen.

  • wednesday, march 31

    Jesus Weeps

    As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it. (Luke 19: 41)


    O Christ, you wept. With a broken and aching heart, you wept. Your grief was so raw, and your love, so tender. You knew what was waiting for you - rejection, betrayal, denial, and desertion. Yet, you did not stop loving. You did not turn away. We weep with you, O Christ, for it is for our sin that you bore the cross. We weep with you, O Christ, longing for your redeeming grace and a new and transformed life. Amen.

  • tuesday, march 30

    Jesus Anointed at Bethany

    While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. (Mark 14:3)


    May we be like the nameless woman, recognizing Jesus for who he truly is. May we be like the nameless woman, honoring him with all we have and every fiber of our being. May we be like the nameless woman, breaking open our hearts to your love and grace. May we be like the nameless woman. Amen.

  • monday, march 29

    Jesus Cleanses the Temple

    They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants. He didn’t let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple. And then he taught them, quoting this text: “My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations; You’ve turned it into a hangout for thieves.” (Mark 11:15-17, The Message)

     

    Mess-making Jesus, may we let you disturb our comfort as you did in the temple. May we let you disrupt our well-established life as you did in the temple. May we let you challenge us to change, so that we may die to sin and rise to righteousness. Amen.

  • thursday, march 25

    Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. (John 12: 25-26)


    Wherever you go, may we be there with you, ready to serve at a moment’s notice. Wherever you lead us, may we follow you, not so much seeking to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. May we serve you, sowing love where there is hatred, hope where there is despair, and joy where there is sadness. Amen.

  • wednesday, march 24

    Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (John 12: 24-25) 


    May we be a grain of wheat that falls into the earth and dies to the world. May we be a grain of wheat that is buried to the ground, but then, sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. May we embrace your truth that it is in giving that we receive, in pardoning that we are pardoned, and in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

  • tuesday, march 23

    But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Jeremiah 31:33)


    Create in us clean hearts, O God, and put a new and right spirit within us. Put your instructions within us and inscribe them directly on our hearts. You are our God, and we are your people. With the same grace and power that have brought us this far, renew us and replenish us now, that we may continue to follow you to the places we never thought we would go.

  • monday, march 22

    Do not cast me away from your presence,

    and do not take your holy spirit from me.

    Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

    and sustain in me a willing spirit.

    (Psalm 51: 11-12)

     

    What a challenging year it has been, O God. We were anxious and afraid. We were alone and stressed out. We were in immense disruption and turmoil. Thank you for not casting us away from your presence. Thank you for restoring to us the joy of your salvation. Grant us now a willing spirit to take us to a place of new possibilities and blessing. Amen.

  • thursday, march 18

    17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3: 17)


    You did not go to all the trouble of sending your Son into the world merely to point an accusing finger. You did not come to merely tell us how bad we were, but to help and put the world right again. May we believe in you and be saved. May we trust in you and have a true, whole, and lasting life. Amen.

  • wednesday, march 17

    Immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. (Ephesians 2: 4-5. The Message)


    Rich in mercy, you embraced us with an incredible love. You took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. May we not get mired in the old and stagnant life of sin. Trusting and expectant, may we look up to you and gain life - a real, rich, whole, and lasting life. Freely and joyfully may we live, truly live. Amen.

  • tuesday, march 16

    12 Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor;

        they fell down, with no one to help.

    13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

        and he saved them from their distress;

    (Psalm 107:12-13) 


    Sometimes, O God, our hearts are heavy and bowed down. Sometime, O God, we stumble, with no one to help us. Whatever our circumstances and however desperate we may feel, help us realize that you are always there for us, ready to forgive, ready to save. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

  • monday, march 15

    19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

        and he saved them from their distress;

    20 he sent out his word and healed them,

        and delivered them from destruction.

    (Psalm 107: 19-20)

     

    We cry out to you in our trouble, and you save us from our distress. We come to you in prayer, and you come to us with your healing Word and deliver us from destruction. You are faithful, and we are grateful. In songs of joy, may we declare what you have done for us, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

  • thursday, march 11

    4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them. (Exodus 20: 4-5)

     

    No other gods, only You! No carved gods of any size, shape, or form of anything whatever, only You! May we not bow down to anything. May we not serve any other gods. May we fix our eyes on You, Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, and run this race in the strength and joy of Your Spirit. Amen.

  • wednesday, march 10

    Then God spoke all these words: 2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3 you shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20: 1-3)


    You indeed are the Lord our God. You are the one who brought us out of the land of sin and slavery. You are the one who carried us through these dark times of unknown virus – COVID 19. Help us stay the course, O God. Help us finish this race, with no other gods before us, but only you. Amen.   

  • tuesday, march 9

    Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) 


    Purify our hearts, O Lord, and restore a right spirit within us. Even as you fill your creation with the impulse of life, replenish us with your life-giving, hope-generating, and joy-producing spirit. May our lips be filed with kind and considerate words. May our hands overflow with your love and grace. May we place our everyday life before you as an offering acceptable to you. Amen.

  • monday, march 8

    The revelation of God is whole

        and pulls our lives together.

    The signposts of God are clear

        and point out the right road.

    The life-maps of God are right,

        showing the way to joy. (Psalm 19: 7-8, The Message)

     

    What a wondrous season is this, O Lord! We see signs of new life all around us - snow melting, sun shining, and trees budding. Wipe the slate clean in this season of Lent, O Lord, so that we, too, can start anew. Pull our lives together. Show us the way to joy. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

  • thursday, march 4

    He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)

     

    May we decide to follow you, Jesus. Even though none go with us, may we still follow you, Jesus. May we carry our cross, till we see you, Jesus. The world behind us, the cross before us, may we follow you and never turn back. Amen.

  • wednesday, march 3

    Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father. (Philippians 2: 9-11, The Message)


    May we think of ourselves the way you thought of yourself. May we walk with you in the light of your Word. In you is the life abundant. In you is the life eternal. May we trust and obey, that we may inherit your kingdom and live in your glory. Amen.  

  • tuesday, march 2

    And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. (Philippians 2: 7b-8)

     

    Even though you had equal status with God, you did not cling to the advantages of that status but came to as, as one of us. Having become human, you stayed human, speaking our language and walking our streets. May we be like you, O Christ. May we live a humble, selfless, and obedient life, putting ourselves aside and walking alongside others. In your holy name we pray. Amen.

  • monday, march 1

    Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself. (Philippians 2: 5-7a)


    Give us the same mind that was in you, Christ Jesus. Give us the same heart that was in you, our Lord and Savior. May we empty ourselves for others, just as you did for us. Instead of watching out for our own good, may we adopt your attitude and watch out for what is better for others. In your name and spirit we pray. Amen.