Thought for Friday September 30

Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

 

Job 38: 1, 12 – 20, 40: 3 – 5  The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:  Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place  For taking hold of the ends of the earth,  till the wicked are shaken from its surface?  Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?  Tell me, if you know all: Which is the way to the dwelling place of light, and where is the abode of darkness,  That you may take them to their boundaries and set them on their homeward paths?

 

Do I, like Job, sometimes need to be reminded that I am not all-powerful and all-knowing?  Have I ever been aware of God “putting me in my place”?

Action:  Go to church this weekend because God is God and you acknowledge that he deserves at least  one hour of your (relatively) undivided attention each week.

Thought for Thursday September 29

In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

Revelations 12: 7 – 12  War broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it.

Does it comfort me to know that Michael and his angels defeated Satan?  Does it annoy me just a little that they threw him down to earth – why not purgatory or limbo?

Action:  Live today with confidence in the angels’ ability to defeat evil.

 

Thought for Wednesday September 28

Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
But I, O LORD, cry out to you;
with my morning prayer I wait upon you.
Why, O LORD, do you reject me;
why hide from me your face.

Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

Job 9: 1 – 16  Job answered his friends and said:  I know well that it is so; but how can a man be justified before God? Should one wish to contend with him, he could not answer him once in a thousand times. God is wise in heart and mighty in strength; who has withstood him and remained unscathed?

 

Why would anyone contend with one who is wise in heart and mighty in strength?  Looking back, were there times in my life when I was dumb or arrogant enough to contend with God – how did that work out?

Action:  Quit arguing with God and do that one little thing you know you should do, but don’t want to do.

Thought for Tuesday September 27

Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
For my soul is surfeited with troubles
and my life draws near to the nether world.
I am numbered with those who go down into the pit;
I am a man without strength.
Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

Job 3: 1 - 23    Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.

Do I ever do this?   What  would cause me to curse the day?

Action:  Find a prayer, psalm or song to use when you feel like cursing the day.  Put a copy somewhere you can find easily.  Don’t wait for a bad day, prepare yourself.

Thought for Monday September 26

The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the Lord:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.

Luke 9: 46 – 50   Then John said in reply,  “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name  and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him,  “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Who is for us and who is against?  How do I tell the difference?

Action:  Show your support to someone who is trying to do good.

 

Thought for Friday September 23

Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling place.
Hope in God; I will praise him, my savior and my God.

Luke 9: 18 – 22  He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Why was this God’s plan for saving humanity?  What are the advantages of this plan?

 

Action:  If you know someone who is frequently rejected, see if you can find a way to support him/her.

Thought for Thursday September 22

In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Luke 9: 7 – 9  But Herod said, “Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him.

Who is Jesus to me?  Am I actively trying to see him better?

 
Action:  Fix some situation so that people are able to see the kingdom Jesus came to establish.  If that seems like too much, try just making one improvement toward that goal.

Thought for Tuesday September 20

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

 

Luke 8: 19 – 21  He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

Is this as easy as it sounds?  How am I doing?

Action:  Hear the word of God and act on it.

Thought for Monday September 19

The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.

The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

 

Luke 8: 16 – 18  No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.

Do I sometimes hide my “light” because I am afraid of revealing too much of myself?  Who sees my light even when I am trying to hide it?

Action:  Share an insight you have had with someone you think can benefit from it.

 

Thought for Friday September 16

Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,
or pay his own ransom to God;
Too high is the price to redeem one’s life; he would never have enough
to remain alive always and not see destruction.
Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

 

Luke 8: 1 – 3  Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.

In how many different places have I experienced the word of God being proclaimed?  Do I see it proclaimed more in preaching or in action?

Action:  Proclaim the word of God everywhere you go in words or in actions.

 

 

Thought for Thursday September 15

Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

 

John 19:  25 – 27  Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

How do I deal with the pain of losing someone I love?  Was the sorrow at the end worth the love?

Action:  Reminisce about the people you have lost and what they taught you about love.

Thought for Wednesday September 14

Do not forget the works of the Lord!
Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
I will utter mysteries from of old.
Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Philippians 2: 6 - 11  Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.  Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Am I willing to let go of my own power to be obedient to God?  Do I appreciate what Jesus did for me?

Action:   I emptied my brain and I can’t come up with anything.  Maybe the action should be:  Don’t empty your brain before you finish what you are doing.

Thought for Tuesday September 13

We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

 

1 Corinthians 12: 12- 14,  27 - 31  Brothers and sisters: As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.  Now the body is not a single part, but many.  Now you are Christ’s Body, and individually parts of it.

 

Do I feel better knowing that I am part of a whole body and not responsible for everything?   Do I sometimes think it would be easier to just get rid of some of the annoying parts?

Action:  Take responsibility for something today, but trust someone else to take responsibility for another job.

Thought for Monday September 12

Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.
May all who seek you
exult and be glad in you
And may those who love your salvation
say ever, “The LORD be glorified.”
Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

 

1 Corinthians 11: 17-26, 33 When you meet in one place, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper, for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper, and one goes hungry while another gets drunk. Do you not have houses in which you can eat and drink? Or do you show contempt for the Church of God and make those who have nothing feel ashamed?

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

Sounds like things were not going well in Corinth; is my Church better?  How has dinner changed since I was young?

Action:  At least once a week, have dinner with your family or friends without your cell phone, tablet, TV or other distraction.  Give your dinner partners (including the pets hoping for a bite) your full attention and don’t forget to say grace first and offer to help with the dishes afterward.

Thought for Friday September 9

You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
 You are my inheritance, O Lord.

1 Timothy 1: 1 – 2; 12 – 14  Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true child in faith: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

How do I introduce myself?  Could I introduce myself like Paul does?

Action:   Introduce yourself to someone new today.

Thought for Thursday September 8

With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
let my heart rejoice in your salvation.
With delight I rejoice in the Lord.

Matthew 1: 1 – 23  Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.”

Am I afraid to bring Mary [or Jesus] into my home, family life, work…?    Does Mary exemplify any values or attitudes I would like to emulate?

Action:  Find one good thing about every Mary you know and try to copy it.

Though for Wednesday September 7

Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.
They are borne in with gladness and joy;
they enter the palace of the king.
The place of your fathers your sons shall have;
you shall make them princes through all the land.
Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.

 

Luke 6: 20 – 26      Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.   But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.

Am I poor enough to need God?  Am I rich enough to have consolation in this life?

Action:  Do something to console someone who is having a tough time.

Thought for Tuesday September 6

The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
The Lord takes delight in his people.

 

Luke 6: 12 – 19 When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
 

Would I have stood in the front hoping to be chosen or would I have hidden in the back hoping Jesus would overlook me?  What has God chosen me to do?

 

Action:  The next time you find yourself stuck doing something  you would rather not do, work extra hard to do a great job.

 

Thought for Monday September 5

In God is my safety and my glory.
Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
In God is my safety and my glory.

Luke 6: 6 – 11  On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught,  and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.

 

Do I appreciate the gift of my hands and use them to do the work of God?    Have I noticed anyone who struggles because his hands are weak, or injured or arthritic?

 

Action:  Do some good with your hands today and pray for those whose hands don’t work well.

Thought for Friday September 2

The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Commit to the LORD your way;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will make justice dawn for you like the light;
bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.

1 Corinthians 4: 1 – 5  Brothers and sisters: Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.

Am I a steward of the mysteries of God?  Am I trustworthy?

Action:  Be trustworthy -  tell the truth, meet your commitments, keep you word.