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Daily Readings and Devotions:
A Sip of Scripture
Daily Scripture:
Welcome
Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.
Reference: Matthew 10: 40-42
Matthew 10:40-42 (New King James Version)
A Cup of Cold Water
40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
**************************************************************
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
Whoever!
leave a comment »
“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” (Matthew 10: 40-42 )
First let me say I am not trying to be a “smart-aleck” with my title. This passage of scripture is under the theme of “Welcome” in the collection of scripture passages that are being used this year. And I thought being open to a wide possibility of people being eligible for this “reward” as Jesus calls it, is very welcoming. It also strongly suggests that one should not be surprised at who is worthy of this word; that it may be surprising who is welcoming of Jesus the Christ and our Lord God. I have known very tough looking people who are in reality soft-hearted Christians with compassion and mercy in abundance. I have known people who take the word of God very seriously and are very knowledgeable about scripture and prophesy. But even those who are faithful and obedient in small minor things were be amply rewarded. So be forewarned! Any whoever is likely.
This is an important thing to remember in mission work, both abroad and in your backyard. You can’t know who is ready and willing to accept Christ’s good news and God’s offer of salvation. It could be a “whoever” that just “happens” to wander into the worship program. It could be a “whoever” that has never stepped into a formal church building. It could be a “whoever” that has been preached to for 25 years, but only NOW is come to the point of faith. The same goes for those who might be missionaries “unawares”. It could be any “whoever” you might meet, “wherever” you might meet them.
May you missional reader be on the lookout for God’s whoevers! Selah!
Written by Carole
March 2, 2011 at 12:47 am
**************************************************************
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 Four
Opening the day with prayer.
As darkness fades and dawn awakens
Lord, give me the joy of your saving help
And sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
In the tender light of morning
Help me as I pray.
In the name of Jesus, bright and morning star. Amen.
Morning by morning God wakens–
wakens my ear
to listen
as those who are taught. Isaiah 50:5
Coming
Loving God,
Help me to hear your call
To be with you –
In the solitude of the desert.
Awaken my mind and soul to your work
And your guidance;
help me not to run into busy avoidance,
Open my eyes to see Jesus.
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- Lent Week One
Prayer before reading:
Lord Jesus Christ,
You call us to come
To be with you.
By your Spirit help me
To see you,
To hear you,
To receive your Spirit,
To be led by your Spirit.
Amen
Read slowly. Listen deeply. Indwell the scripture.
Season of Lent: Week One
The Lenten journey draws us into the desert and in many ways leaves us there for a season. Why the desert? “The desert has nothing to offer. It affords no hiding place, no refuge. It is a place of desolation and liberation. But the desert is not merely a place. It is a symbol of Christian experience. The desert as both place and experience becomes associated with journeying; with testing (to discern and sift); with seeking another country, a promised land – the reality of the kingdom of God.” (from John Moses, The Desert: An Anthology for Lent. Morehouse, 1997. 15)
Being in the desert is no escape from the realities of the world’s system, rather it is a place where God frees us from our captivity to what the world offers. This season in the wilderness releases us gradually from our attachments and from the myriad of distractions that keep us occupied and unable to see God’s presence and work within and around us. This season in the desert prepares us to be in the world, but not of the world. Jesus is here, in this desert place – facing into the lure of how to be successful, how to attract people’s attention, how to prove God is present. But he chooses to trust, to rest in Abba. He sees the temptation for what it is. Rather than turning stones into bread, he trusts God to offer manna in the wilderness.
As the lectionary guides us into the gospel narratives which in turn lead us to Jerusalem, we will become aware of the tension this journey to Golgotha sets up for Jesus’ followers. This journey to Jerusalem is a desert for them – for the structures and attachments to which they cling are being exposed and challenged. And they are not yet ready to receive the map Jesus offers them in this wilderness of life and soul.
The invitation here is to enter into the silence and solitude of this desert journey, and to learn to be with Jesus – who in turn dwells in the presence of Abba God, and receives help and sustenance. Here we are brought face to face with our own interior world, and God. This is the Lenten journey.
Prayer before reading:
Lord Jesus Christ,
You come to us.
Help me to see as you see,
To recognize your presence
In the desert,
And to learn God’s way.
Amen
Responding
The third movement within Soul Space is Responding. Here we shift our focus towards outward engagement.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Pray for the coming day. Be attentive to what you struggle with, where you face challenge, difficulty, experience weakness, darkness, uncertainty—how it affects you personally, and your ministry. Bring your struggle to God. Pray for God’s servants who are serving in challenging and difficult places this day, especially for _____________________.
Lord Christ,
You see us sometimes strangers on the earth, taken aback by the violence, by the harshness of oppositions.
You are with us, sending out a gentle breeze on the dry ground of our doubts, shining your light in the dark corners of our clay vessels where fear and weakness rob us of faith and peace.
Help us to know your presence in all our struggle. Continue to make us bearers of peace and reconciliation.
*based on a prayer by Brother Roger of Taize. Life from Within. Geoffrey Chapman Mowbray, 1990. 22.
INTERCESSION
Pray for the coming day, and for your neighbor.
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 busy avoidance,
Not to be caught in the trappings of this world.
Bend my heart to stay . . . to love . . . to wait
To embrace your coming in Jesus.
Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER
Loving God,
Help me to hear your call
To be with you –
In the solitude of the desert.
Awaken my mind and soul to your work
And your guidance;
help me not to run into busy avoidance,
Open my eyes to see Jesus.
Amen
Evening- Week Four
Closing the day with gratefulness.
It is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;
To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning
And of your faithfulness in the night season.
Psalm 92:1,2
As I come to the end of this day,
For what am I thankful?
How have I known God’s faithfulness this day?
What do bring to God . . .?
For confession . . .
For forgiveness . . .
For help . . .
For God’s holding.
Reading
The psalm for this week’s lectionary readings.
Silence
Closing Prayer
Living God,
In you there is no darkness;
Shed upon us through this night the light of your forgiveness,
Your healing and your peace.
Cover us with the blanket of your protection.
When we wake from sleep
May we know once more the light of your presence,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Daily Readings and Devotions:
A Sip of Scripture
Daily Scripture:
Welcome
Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.
Reference: Matthew 10: 40-42
Matthew 10:40-42 (New King James Version)
A Cup of Cold Water
40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
**************************************************************
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
Whoever!
leave a comment »
“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” (Matthew 10: 40-42 )
First let me say I am not trying to be a “smart-aleck” with my title. This passage of scripture is under the theme of “Welcome” in the collection of scripture passages that are being used this year. And I thought being open to a wide possibility of people being eligible for this “reward” as Jesus calls it, is very welcoming. It also strongly suggests that one should not be surprised at who is worthy of this word; that it may be surprising who is welcoming of Jesus the Christ and our Lord God. I have known very tough looking people who are in reality soft-hearted Christians with compassion and mercy in abundance. I have known people who take the word of God very seriously and are very knowledgeable about scripture and prophesy. But even those who are faithful and obedient in small minor things were be amply rewarded. So be forewarned! Any whoever is likely.
This is an important thing to remember in mission work, both abroad and in your backyard. You can’t know who is ready and willing to accept Christ’s good news and God’s offer of salvation. It could be a “whoever” that just “happens” to wander into the worship program. It could be a “whoever” that has never stepped into a formal church building. It could be a “whoever” that has been preached to for 25 years, but only NOW is come to the point of faith. The same goes for those who might be missionaries “unawares”. It could be any “whoever” you might meet, “wherever” you might meet them.
May you missional reader be on the lookout for God’s whoevers! Selah!
Written by Carole
March 2, 2011 at 12:47 am
**************************************************************
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 Four
Opening the day with prayer.
As darkness fades and dawn awakens
Lord, give me the joy of your saving help
And sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
In the tender light of morning
Help me as I pray.
In the name of Jesus, bright and morning star. Amen.
Morning by morning God wakens–
wakens my ear
to listen
as those who are taught. Isaiah 50:5
Coming
Loving God,
Help me to hear your call
To be with you –
In the solitude of the desert.
Awaken my mind and soul to your work
And your guidance;
help me not to run into busy avoidance,
Open my eyes to see Jesus.
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- Lent Week One
Prayer before reading:
Lord Jesus Christ,
You call us to come
To be with you.
By your Spirit help me
To see you,
To hear you,
To receive your Spirit,
To be led by your Spirit.
Amen
Read slowly. Listen deeply. Indwell the scripture.
Season of Lent: Week One
The Lenten journey draws us into the desert and in many ways leaves us there for a season. Why the desert? “The desert has nothing to offer. It affords no hiding place, no refuge. It is a place of desolation and liberation. But the desert is not merely a place. It is a symbol of Christian experience. The desert as both place and experience becomes associated with journeying; with testing (to discern and sift); with seeking another country, a promised land – the reality of the kingdom of God.” (from John Moses, The Desert: An Anthology for Lent. Morehouse, 1997. 15)
Being in the desert is no escape from the realities of the world’s system, rather it is a place where God frees us from our captivity to what the world offers. This season in the wilderness releases us gradually from our attachments and from the myriad of distractions that keep us occupied and unable to see God’s presence and work within and around us. This season in the desert prepares us to be in the world, but not of the world. Jesus is here, in this desert place – facing into the lure of how to be successful, how to attract people’s attention, how to prove God is present. But he chooses to trust, to rest in Abba. He sees the temptation for what it is. Rather than turning stones into bread, he trusts God to offer manna in the wilderness.
As the lectionary guides us into the gospel narratives which in turn lead us to Jerusalem, we will become aware of the tension this journey to Golgotha sets up for Jesus’ followers. This journey to Jerusalem is a desert for them – for the structures and attachments to which they cling are being exposed and challenged. And they are not yet ready to receive the map Jesus offers them in this wilderness of life and soul.
The invitation here is to enter into the silence and solitude of this desert journey, and to learn to be with Jesus – who in turn dwells in the presence of Abba God, and receives help and sustenance. Here we are brought face to face with our own interior world, and God. This is the Lenten journey.
Prayer before reading:
Lord Jesus Christ,
You come to us.
Help me to see as you see,
To recognize your presence
In the desert,
And to learn God’s way.
Amen
Responding
The third movement within Soul Space is Responding. Here we shift our focus towards outward engagement.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Pray for the coming day. Be attentive to what you struggle with, where you face challenge, difficulty, experience weakness, darkness, uncertainty—how it affects you personally, and your ministry. Bring your struggle to God. Pray for God’s servants who are serving in challenging and difficult places this day, especially for _____________________.
Lord Christ,
You see us sometimes strangers on the earth, taken aback by the violence, by the harshness of oppositions.
You are with us, sending out a gentle breeze on the dry ground of our doubts, shining your light in the dark corners of our clay vessels where fear and weakness rob us of faith and peace.
Help us to know your presence in all our struggle. Continue to make us bearers of peace and reconciliation.
*based on a prayer by Brother Roger of Taize. Life from Within. Geoffrey Chapman Mowbray, 1990. 22.
INTERCESSION
Pray for the coming day, and for your neighbor.
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 busy avoidance,
Not to be caught in the trappings of this world.
Bend my heart to stay . . . to love . . . to wait
To embrace your coming in Jesus.
Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER
Loving God,
Help me to hear your call
To be with you –
In the solitude of the desert.
Awaken my mind and soul to your work
And your guidance;
help me not to run into busy avoidance,
Open my eyes to see Jesus.
Amen
Evening- Week Four
Closing the day with gratefulness.
It is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to your Name, O Most High;
To tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning
And of your faithfulness in the night season.
Psalm 92:1,2
As I come to the end of this day,
For what am I thankful?
How have I known God’s faithfulness this day?
What do bring to God . . .?
For confession . . .
For forgiveness . . .
For help . . .
For God’s holding.
Reading
The psalm for this week’s lectionary readings.
Silence
Closing Prayer
Living God,
In you there is no darkness;
Shed upon us through this night the light of your forgiveness,
Your healing and your peace.
Cover us with the blanket of your protection.
When we wake from sleep
May we know once more the light of your presence,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
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