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A Sip of Scripture
Daily Scripture:
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
Reference: John 14:1
John 14:1 (New King James Version)
John 14
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
Related Blog
A Simple Desire
The weblog "a simple desire" provides brief commentaries on "A Sip of Scripture" from a Mennonite perspective, The commentaries are written by Carole Boshart, of Oregon; Will Fitzgerald, of Michigan; and others on occasion.
a simple desireShort commentary on “A Sip of Scripture” from Third Way Cafe
Peace and Trust
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“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. “ ( John 14:1 )
I have a great deal of appreciation for the Psalms. If they were written by King David as he met the triumphs and tragedies of life, it gives a portrait of a man who closely with God and relied on God. But he was a man who who often did not know peace. In the tragedies of his life, he pours his heart out to God. And in the triumphs he roars with his successes.
I also appreciate Peter, Jesus’ disciple and the man who is said to have founded Christianity and Catholicism. But during the first part of his life, and seem even in the second part of his life, he was not an overly quiet and peaceful man. You always knew what Peter thought and felt because he could not keep quiet about it. But for all his bluster he was at heart a person who lacked self-confidence. This verse from John comes at the end of the Last Supper when Jesus says that Peter will deny Jesus three times. At the time of Jesus’ trail Peter did indeed decline to be identified with Jesus.
There is story after story of people such as King David, Peter, and others from the bible who did not trust in God. But there are also stories of those same people who showed complete trust in God. And from histories of people since biblical times we have more stories of people who trusted to God for everything. And one of the things I have noticed about such stories and such people is that when they trusted God they did not have a lot to say. They just peacefully and quietly went about doing what they felt God was leading them to do, and trusted that God would show them the way.
I recently bought myself a new ring. The jewelry I wear on a daily basis is not meant to “decorate” but are symbols that have meaning for me. This ring has inscribed on it “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” This can be interpreted several ways. For me it means I do not have to know what I may be called to do on my faith journey. I just have to trust in the Lord to guide me one step at a time. And trusting in the Lord and going with the Lord’s blessing I may accomplish great things.
May you gentle reader trust in the Lord always, and may peace be with you each step. Selah!
Written by Carole
December 23, 2010 at 12:14 am
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Related Website
Soul Space
You are invited to take some time each day for "Soul Space," written by Wendy Miller and posted on the Eastern Mennonite University website. Each day's guidance centers around a theme for reflection and prayer drawn from the lectionary readings for the week.
Morning-Week Two
Lord of the dawn –
You who bring morning light
to bless field and hill,
Roof and window;
Open my eye to see,
Beckon my ear to hear,
Waken my soul to follow you into this day.
Prayer for the day:
Bless to me, O God,
Each thing mine eye sees;
Each sound mine ear hears;
All that I taste;
Each word I speak;
Each note I sing;
Each ray of light that guides my way,
Each one I meet;
Bless to me, O God.
The Three that seek my heart,
The Three that make Your home in me
Bless to me, O God.
From a “Prayer at rising”, adapted.
Coming
Dear God,
Store shelves are empty
Gift-wrapping lays crumpled on the floor
Waiting to be trashed.
Left-overs crowd the refrigerator shelves
The busyness of Christmas is over.
Lead my tired feet to Bethlehem
To the house where Jesus lays.
Help me to move with the Great Conspiracy
Of your coming among us,
Even as terror and tears
Still line the shelves of world news
And hopes and dreams lay crumpled among the rubble
And people’s lives continue to be trashed.
Waken my heart to your presence
Among us, here, among the rubble and tears.
Still me into listening for your presence and voice.
Silence
Be still.
Open your awareness to God’s presence
Within and all around.
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Responding
The third movement within Soul Space is Responding. Here we shift our focus towards outward engagement.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Pray for the coming day. Pray for your local congregation, and for the work of the Spirit of Christ in its midst. The apostle Paul’s prayers for the church offers guidance for our intercession:
O God, You who give abundantly out of your glory,
Give us strength in our inner being.
Holy Spirit, You who indwell us,
Empower us to be strong within.
Lord Jesus Christ, You who carry out the loving purposes of God,
Make your home in our hearts;
Help us to grow in faith and trust,
As you continue to root and ground us in your love.
By your power, help us to grasp—along with all who bear your
Name—how wide and deep and long and high your love is.
Help us to know your love—which is beyond our understanding.
Fill us with all the fullness of God.
Gracious God, you who by your power within us, are able to
do abundantly more than all we can ask or imagine,
to you be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus, always, always.
Amen.
*Based on Ephesians 3:16-21
INTERCESSION
Pray for the coming day, and for peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace,
Where there is hatred, leet me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may no so much seek
To be consoled, as to console,
To be understood, as to understand,
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving thhat we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
(Attributed to St. Francis of Assissi, 1181-1226)
CLOSING PRAYER
Loving God,
Help me to hear your wake-up call,
To listen deeply to your voice.
Awaken my mind and soul to your work
Within and among us through the Holy Spirit.
Help me not to run into anxious avoidance,
Not to be caught in the anxious clutches of this world.
Bend my heart to stay . . . to love . . . to wait
To embrace your coming in Jesus.
Amen.
Evening-Week Two
Come to me you who are tired, worn down from carrying heavy loads,
and I will give you rest. Learn my ways, for my ways are gentle, and I am humble at heart, and you will find rest for your soul.
Matthew 11:28-30 (paraphrased)
As I come to the end of this day, and turn towards you, Burden Bearer, Rest Giver,
What am I carrying?
What wears me down, makes me tired?
What do I bring to you . . . ?
For forgiveness . . .
For healing . . .
For help . . .
For holding.
Read the psalm for this week’s lectionary readings.
Silence
Closing Prayer
In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge:
Hear me as I come . . .
Be my resting place;
I will both lie me down and sleep in peace;
For you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.
Into your hands I commend myself and those I love.
Psalms 4:8; 31:1-5 (paraphrased)
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