For the past few months, a couple of thousand folks have been reading and discussing a chapter a day from the Gospels as part of Summer in the Scriptures, sponsored by the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.
I’ve been supplying a prayer for each day’s reading. 98 chapters = 98 prayers. Wow! Some have been brand new, but many were curated from prayers written over the last eleven years of this blog’s life. Again, wow! It’s not often I have a chance to see what seems to me small, isolated offerings come together like this.
Thanks for going on this journey with me. I pray it was blessing and goodness for you. Postings will be less frequent now that the project is finished.
Thanks also for being part of our community here. You are always welcome, wanted, and appreciated. – Lisa <><
Based on John 20:24-29 Thomas and Jesus
Jesus, you give me what I need
What I need to believe
What I need to live
Like my brother Thomas,
I lay the doubting down
You come for me
You want me as well
You want us all
The gift of your presence is for me
The gift of your peace is for me
So too the power of your Spirit
The very Breath of Life
Abundant Life in your name
Jesus, you give me what I need
Seeing
Signs
Spirit
Wounds
Words
Wonder
Peace
Power
Sending
Oh, My Jesus
My Lord and My God
Based on John 21
Cast your net again,
We know this familiar foolishness
So we cast it…
we cast it wide, drag it deep, sweep it around the sea
Suddenly! So many fish!
The cry goes up with our hope
It is the Lord! It is Jesus!
He sank down to the bottom
Down to the mud and the darkness
Down to the pain and the brokenness
Down to our level
Until he was lifted up- lifted up on a cross
Up went the fists
Up went the mocks
Up went the stares
Up went the sign
King of the Jews
Down came the hammer
Down came the tears
Down came the blood
Down came the love
Down to our level
buried beneath waves of fear and injustice and sin
Buried beneath earth
He did as he promised!
He is lifted up from the earth!
Up from the grave
Up goes the shout
Up goes the sun with the Son
Cast your net again, my Jesus
Cast it wide, drag it deep, sweep it around the sea
Draw us up from the bottom with you
Draw us up from the mud and the darkness
Draw us up from the pain and the brokenness
Draw us up from the selfishness and the loneliness
Draw us up from the fear and the hate and the sin and the death
Draw us up from the bottom with you
Cast your net again into the sea of humanity
Cast it wide, drag it deep, sweep it around the sea
Draw us up
Draw us in
We are caught in your saving embrace
Jesus says, “Now follow me.”
“Come, cast the net
Cast the net again and again and again and we will find some more
Cast it wide, drag it deep, sweep it around the sea
So many, so different, so beautiful
Use all your strength to bring them in
Have no fear, the net will not break.”
Prayer Prompts based on Mark 10 Use one or more of the following prompts as you pray. Just finish the sentence again and again or use it as a springboard for your prayers. Share your prayer in the comments. What prayer prompt would you write? Share that as well.
Jesus, I confess my hard-heartedness concerning…
Jesus, soften my heart towards…
Jesus, forgive me for making it hard for ____________ to get to you
Jesus, help me receive and bless…
Jesus, help me leave ___________ so I can follow you fully.
Jesus, please save _______. All things are possible for you.
Jesus, I confess my misplaced priorities…
Jesus, lead me into humble service and sacrifice.
Jesus, hear my cry…
Jesus, let me see…
Breath Prayers Based on Mark 11:20-25 The withered fig tree Read Mark 11:20-25. Silently pray the phrase after IN on your breath in. Then silently pray the phrase after OUT on your breath out. Take your time. Breathe deeply. Choose one, a few, or all of them as is most helpful to you.
I’m new to breath prayers. Maybe you are, too. This practice helps me when things become overwhelming, when I wake up in the middle of the night, or when I’m having trouble hearing God. How do breath prayers help you?
IN: Jesus,
OUT: Keep me faithful and fruitful
IN: Have faith in God
OUT: breath out in silence
IN: Jesus,
OUT: heal the doubt in my heart
IN: I believe
OUT: Help my unbelief
IN: Jesus, I forgive
OUT: speak a name or situation on the breath out
IN: Heavenly Father
OUT: Forgive me
Share a breath prayer you’ve written
_______________
For the next few months, I’m reading a chapter from the Gospels each day. This is part of the Summer in the Scriptures reading plan sponsored by the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Click Here for the reading plan.
As part of the Facebook group, I’ve been supplying prayers based on the day’s reading. Feel free to post your prayers and observations based on the readings here or there as well.
May the grace of the Gospels, the challenge, and the call, inspire us to great faith and great good works in Jesus’ name. – Lisa <
In John 20:19-29, Jesus appears to the disciples twice following his resurrection from the dead. The first time, Thomas isn’t there. Maybe he’s out getting supplies. Maybe he’s seeing other disciples who are hiding in another location. Maybe he’s gathering information or caring for someone or the only one brave enough to head out into the streets knowing the danger. We simply don’t know Thomas’ reasons or motivation.
When he returns, there’s great excitement about Jesus’ appearance. That’s understandable. Thomas’ response is also understandable. He wants what the other disciples now have. He wants to see Jesus, too.
Imagine what Thomas is thinking that long week between appearances. I imagine Thomas doubting himself far more than Jesus.
Why didn’t Jesus wait till we were all here?
Is Jesus mad at me or disappointed in me?
Did he abandon me as I abandoned him?
Was I not worthy of seeing him?
Will he come again?
Jesus does come again and gives Thomas what he needs. Jesus does the same for us as well. – Lisa <><
Jesus, you give me what I need
What I need to believe
What I need to live
Like my brother Thomas,
I lay the doubting down
You come for me
You want me as well
You want us all
The gift of your presence is for me
The gift of your peace is for me
So too the power of your Spirit
The very Breath of Life
Abundant Life in your name
Jesus, you give me what I need
Seeing
Signs
Spirit
Wounds
Words
Wonder
Peace
Power
Sending
Oh My Jesus
My Lord and My God
Do You Hear What I Hear? The Songs of Christmas
December 23: Mary, Did You Know? by Mark Lowry (CCLI #839225)
Scripture: Luke 1:26-38
These are the notes from a message offered Sunday, 12/23/18 at Trinity United Methodist Church, Sarasota Florida.
Today we’ll look at one of the newest Christmas songs, “Mary, Did You Know?” As you listen to the lyrics, imagine it’s the first Christmas, and you’re with Mary who’s holding the infant Jesus.
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water? Mary, did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you’ve delivered will soon deliver you
Mary, did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? Mary, did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? And when you kiss your little baby you’ve kissed the face of God
Mary, did you know? The blind will see. The deaf will hear. And the dead will live again. The lame will leap. The dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb.
Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations? Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb? This sleeping child you’re holding is the Great I Am
“Mary, Did You Know?” walks through the scriptures to tell us about Christ
We look at these lyrics with the benefit of the scriptures and generations of Christians who have shared the story. But, what did Mary know?
Some think Mary didn’t know anything. She was sweet, clueless, young, uneducated, and blindly obedient.
Some see Mary as a pawn who had no choice. The Holy Spirit overwhelmed her. Taken to an extreme, God raped Mary.
What do you think? Did Mary know? Did she give consent? Why do you think this?
Mary knew and Mary consented (Luke 1:26-38, The Annunciation) 26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom, there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Gabriel tells Mary. There are 7 disclosers of who Jesus is in this passage plus Mary’s consent.
Elizabeth tells Mary
Luke 1:43And why has this happened to me that the mother of my Lord comes to me
The angels tell the shepherds who tell Mary
Luke 2:11to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.
Luke 2:16-1916So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart.
Simeon and Anna tell Mary
Luke 2:29-3529 “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” 33 And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed 35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
History of Mary, Did You Know?
We also have the intent of the author. In 1984, Mark Lowry was asked to write the Christmas program for his alma mater, Liberty University.
Lowry remembers: “As I wrote the ‘speaking parts’ I began to think about Mary. I have always been fascinated with the concept that God came to earth…. One thing they couldn’t take from Mary was that she knew her Child was not ordinary.
As my mind went back to the manger scene, I began to think about the power, authority, and majesty she cradled in her arms. Those little lips were the same lips that had spoken worlds into existence. All of those things were contained in the young child lying quietly on her bosom. Even now, he was the very one who had given life to his mother, Mary.
I began writing a list of questions I would like to ask Mary if I could sit down with her.”
Lowry carried his lyrics with him for the next seven years. In 1991, he asked his good friend, Buddy Greene, to write suitable music for his poem. Since then, the song’s been recorded by many artists and has sold over 1 million copies.
Mary knew her child would be the Messiah, but she didn’t have all the answers. Neither did Joseph. There were many, many, many questions. What would it mean? What would it look like? Mary knew but then faced the reality of living it.
You can be a person of faith and still have questions, even doubts. You don’t have to have all the answers wrapped up in a nice, neat box.
Mary didn’t know everything but she still stepped out in faith. How many of us are waiting to get the answers together and get our act together before we place our trust in Christ or before we’re baptized or before we serve? The evil one uses our questions to shut us down.
All these “Mary Did you Know?” questions are rhetorical questions. God uses them to open us up. Open up space for curiosity, wonder, imagining, contemplation. They open us to worship, to be in awe of God with us to love and save us. They open us to the mystery of God’s grace and greatness in a frail, vulnerable child.
Luke 2:19 says, “Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.”
The faithful question and ponder
The faithful listen and learn and know some things
The faithful step out in faith even when they don’t have all the answers
*********** CLICK HERE for a pdf of the Christmas Song Devotional Readings.
The Christmas Story is full of singing. Mary sings. Zechariah sings. Simeon sings. The angels sing. Over the centuries we’ve continued to celebrate with songs of our own, songs born from the joy of Christ’s coming.
This holy season, to prepare our hearts again for the coming of Christ, we’ll reflect on the poetry of these meaningful songs. Some will be old friends. Others will be new. My prayer is that their beauty and power draw us closer to Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, the Risen King. And that the grace of drawing near fulfills in us Christ’s power of new life.
Suggestions for Reflection on Each Song Lyric in the Christmas Devotion:
Find a quiet place to sit. Take a couple of deep breaths.
Read the song lyrics several times slowly, savoring the words.
Ask yourself:
What is the big idea?
Why is it important?
How does this truth connect with my life?
Have a conversation with God about this truth.
Invite God to use this truth to birth something new in you this holy season.
Additional Ideas:
Journal your reflections
Draw, paint, or create some other kind of art based on your reflections
Find a scripture or two which inspired the song or where brought to mind by the lyrics
Sing or listen to the song
Share the song or just the lyrics on social media or face to face
10 Ways to Have a Better Conversation
Celeste Headlee
TEDx Creative Coast, April 2015 1. Be present. 2. Enter every conversation assuming you have something to learn. Be prepared to be amazed. 3. Ask open ended questions 4. Let ideas come and go in order to stay listening 5. Think of the conversation as “on the record”- be precise with what you claim 6. It’s not about you- do not self promote, do not presume your similar experience is their experience 7. Try not to repeat yourself 8. Forget the details, go for the big idea or emotion 9. Listen, listen, listen – if your mouth is open, you’re not learning 10. Be brief- be interested in other people
A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit
Judson Brewer
TEDMED 2015 Palm Springs California, November 2015 Being mindful (curiously aware) helps us step out of our fear based habit patterns as we step into being. Mindfulness leads to disenchantment with the hurtful behavior which can lead to a transformation of the trigger, behavior, reward cycle.
Dive Into an Ocean Photographer’s World
Thomas Peschak
Mission Blue II Solomon Islands, October 2015 “The best way for me to effect change is to sell love.” Conservation Photographer Thomas Peschak fell in love with the beauty and importance of our oceans at a young age. Through his photographs, he encourages us to do the same. “You can’t love something and become a champion for it if you don’t know it exists.”
The Doubt Essential to Faith
Lesley Hazleton
TED Global 2013 Edinburgh Scotland, June 2013 Fascinating retelling of Mohamed’s reactions to receiving his first revelation of the Koran- doubt, fear, despair. “Abolish all doubt and what is left is not faith but absolute, heartless conviction…. Absolutism is the opposite of faith.”
Everyday Leadership
Drew Dudley
TEDx Toronto 2010, September 2010 “We need to get over our fear of how extraordinarily powerful we can be in each other’s lives. We need to get over it so we can move beyond it.”Leadership isn’t about changing the world, it’s about changing a person’s perception of what they’re capable of, how much they are loved, how valuable they are, how much influence they have for the greater good.
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I’m trying an experiment in 2016. Maybe you’d like to try it with me.
Here’s where I am
I’m tired of the spin. I’m tired of ideas, news, and entertainment really being one long sales pitch for profit or power.
I’m longing for creativity, curiosity, and inspiration. I’m in search of passionate people willing to speak to the truth and complexity of living with a heart of hope. I want to hear from authentic humans who are in the trenches working for the greater good.
“TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world. On TED.com, we’re building a clearinghouse of free knowledge from the world’s most inspired thinkers — and a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other, both online and at TED and TEDx events around the world, all year long.”
TED’s been around for 30 years. I’ve heard about them and even watched a couple of talks, but I’ve never spent any concentrated time mining the good stuff. So….
Here’s the plan
Watch 5 enthusiastic, inspiring TED Talk presenters a week for a year.
Apply and share the goodness.
Based on John 20:24-29
Based on John 21
