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Daily Devotionals/Readings:
A Sip of Scripture
Daily Scripture:
Illuminate
You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Reference: Matthew 5: 13-16
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See more books at the Bible Gateway storeMatthew 5:13-16 (New King James Version)
Believers Are Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
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.
Short commentary on “A Sip of Scripture” from Third Way Cafe
A Lamp unto the Lord
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“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. “ ( Matthew 5: 13-16 )
I was in grade school during the era when art classes were not well-budgeted, not because of cut-backs like schools are facing no, but because art classes were not seen as important to general education. Art classes were more like recess when you made something rather than just playing. But our art teachers were very creative and did wonderful things with a minimum of supplies and planning. One project that I loved was making stained glass window pictures with black paper and colored tissue paper. Our teacher put them up on the classroom windows, and when the sun hit them . . . . . . After that I gained new appreciation for stained glass windows. It is an appreciation that has never waned.
It is interesting to me to think about Christians as Tiffany lamps. Tiffany lamps have shades that are made from bits of colored plastic or glass. The idea is that the light illuminates the colored bits and “plain” white light is transformed into dancing colors, especially when the colored bits are made from leaded glass.
The verses from Matthew say that after lighting a lamp you would not hide it away. But to my way of thinking a lamp shade is not like a bushel basket. Some types of lamp shades may obscure the light, cast shadows or diffusing the light so its brilliance is dimmed. But Tiffany shades allow the light to come through. Each person, while a lit lamp for God, is different from another; so to are the works we do and the mission we are called to. Why should we not shine forth in different types of light? If God is the source of our light, the Divine spark that connects us to God, is it not reasonable to think that our unique make up gives each human lamp a different sort of glow?
May you missional reader be a lamp that finds its source in our Lord and may you shine forth in your unique way as a light so that others may find their way to God. Selah!
Written by Carole
January 18, 2011 at 12:24 am
Posted in commentary
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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
Loving God,
Bringing light—epiphany–
Awaken my soul.
Open my eyes to see,
Help me to hear
Jesus among and within us.
Amen
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)
Being With-Epiphany Week 3
Season of Epiphany: Week Three
This side of Eden we are restless, seeking, hoping for something to satisfy us. If we are honest we admit that what we produce, and what we accumulate does bring some measure of satisfaction – but on a deeper level we seek for something more. Even within the church persons are saying, “We want to go deeper.” “Isn’t there something more?” The psalmist gives voice to this seeking, this longing (Psalm 27:4,7-10).
Even as we are looking for this deeper satisfaction—on a soul level—God comes to us. God comes looking for us. Not content to stay in the heavenly realm, looking from afar as we seek whatever it is to quench a deep, inner thirst, God shows up among us, in Jesus. In the Gospel narratives our lectionary guide takes us now to Capernaum, a fishing town nestled on the north reach of the Sea of Galilee. This is where Jesus settles and forms a hub for his work of coming to find us.
As you read Matthew 4:12-23 this week, I invite you to sit alongside this gospel writer and to notice how people are seen and described in this passage. Reflect on the state we are in, and then notice how this coming of Jesus is described.
This ‘great light’, this ‘dawning’ of a new day in God’s kingdom calendar, is described as ‘heaven coming near.’ What does this ‘great light’ look like? This ‘dawning’ of a new day, this ‘heaven coming near’—for those of us who are stuck in the darkness of the night of this world’s system, and who suffer the shadow of death this side of Eden?
Jesus now becomes the ‘voice’ in our wilderness, he shows up on the beach of our life — coming close and inviting us to turn our attention towards him, and to what he is offering: ‘heaven coming near.’ We may wonder what this has to do with going deeper, wanting something more, that deep inner, soul-level satisfaction. If we are looking for an immediate answer, we are given instead an invitation by Jesus: “Follow me . . .”
When Jesus calls us to follow him we are already beginning to turn from what and who we have been following. We all listen and give our lives and our love to something or somebody. Now Jesus is saying, “Listen to me, give your life and your love to me.”
It is in this turning and listening, this following and loving that the ‘good news’ of the gracious rule of God begins to break into the deep, inner regions of our being, shedding the light of God’s new day, transforming how we see, how we hear, how we live in the world—curing the disease and breaking the yoke and oppression of addiction to a multitude of things which can never satisfy Isaiah 9:1-4), and healing the painful sickness of being alienated from God, from the God-breathed center of who we are, from others, and from creation (I Corinthians 1:10-18).
The gospel writer calls us to enter into this great life adventure of noticing this Jesus who takes up residence on the shore of our life, and calls us to follow him. Matthew’s gospel will be our GPS as we listen and follow. This following, this listening, this new loving will change us. Jesus says, “I will make you . . .” No longer will we be “self-made” individuals, or “system-conformed” collectives. We will be transformed as Jesus reveals the beauty and wonder of God and God’s gracious new thing, and as we learn to wait for, and gaze on God (Psalm 27:4,13,14).
Prayer before reading:
Lord Jesus Christ,
You come to us.
Help me to see as you see,
To recognize your presence,
And your call
To follow you.
Guide me, us as I learn to walk in your way.
Read slowly. Listen deeply. Indwell the scripture.
Scripture Guide:
Season of Epiphany: Week Three
» 1/17 Monday: Matthew 4:12-17
» 1/18 Tuesday: Matthew 4:13-23
Matthew 4:13-24 (King James Version)
13And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
14That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
16The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
17From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
18And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
21And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
22And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
23And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
24And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
Responding
The third movement within Soul Space is Responding. Here we shift our focus towards outward engagement.
Monday
Tuesday
Pray for the coming day. Pray for persons throughout the world who are poor, needy, suffering injustice and oppression and for those persons who are serving to bring relief, healing, hope, especially _________________________.
Lord Jesus Christ,
You who knew the Spirit of God upon and within you, the anointing of God as you brought good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and freedom to those who are oppressed; breathe your Spirit upon ________________________ this day.
Anoint them with God’s love, power, guidance and compassion. May they know your presence and guidance as they co-labor with you to bring good news to _________________________, release from captivity, healing from blindness, and freedom from oppression.
May God’s grace and kind favor be felt and known this day.
In your great name, Amen.
(based on Isaiah 61:1-52 & Luke 4:18-19)
INTERCESSION
Pray for the coming day, and for persons in places of power and influence.
Almighty God, King of all kings, God of all gods,
I pray for all governments and rulers of this world,
leaders to whom you have lent authority;
grant, dear Lord, that they may use their power according
to your will, not theirs, to protect and care for the poor . . . .;
that they may not wash their hands in the blood of the innocent
and faithful, that an orderly and quiet life may exist among us
in all honor and the fear of God. (see 1Timothy 2:1-3)
-A segment from the prayers prayed by Hans Schlaffer
during eight weeks of imprisonment
before his execution in February, 1528
(Spiritual Life in Anabaptism. Cornelius J. Dyck, Ed. Herald Press, 1995. 197)
CLOSING PRAYER
Lord Jesus, Emmanuel,
God with us,
May your kingdom come
And your gracious will be done,
In the earth of our lives in this world
As it is in heaven.
Even so, come, Lord 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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