PrayerBits for Sunday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 2:13-23 The slaying of the innocents

Time to reflect: There is no historical record of this event outside of the Bible but we do know that Herod was capable of this and, in fact had one set of his own children killed.

Moving through the day: Think about how cruel and violent humans can be. Pray that you resist such inhumanity wherever, whenever you can. Pray that God intervene to reduce the slaying of innocents around the world.

Scripture:

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
"A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more."

The Return to Nazareth

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."

So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."

PrayerBits for Saturday

Scripture lesson: Hebrews 2:10-18 Jesus is one of us

Time to reflect: One aspect of Jesus' coming is that he lived a real, human life with all its joys and sorrows. This makes him like us and shows he understands what we are going through.

Moving through the day: Picture Jesus stubbing his toe, chewing his finger nails, needing to take a bath, picking his teeth, etc. How does this affect your feelings about Jesus? How do you reconcile this human picture of Jesus with his being the “Son of God?” Reread the Hebrews passage.

Scripture:

In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says,
"I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises."And again,
"I will put my trust in him."And again he says,
"Here am I, and the children God has given me."

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

PrayerBits for Friday

Scripture lesson: Psalm 148

Time to reflect: The entire universe should be praising God. If you were to list the component parts of the universe, what would you name? “Praise the Lord all you Quarks” “Praise the Lord all you synapses” “Praise the Lord all the Social Structures of the world” -- well maybe the list in the Psalm is good enough...

Moving Throughout the day: Since inanimate objects can only praise God through their mere existence, pray a prayer of praise in behalf of the universe.

Scripture:

Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights above.

Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars.

Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.

He set them in place for ever and ever;
he gave a decree that will never pass away.

Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,

you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,

wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,

kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,

young men and maidens,
old men and children.

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

He has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his saints,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the LORD.

PrayerBits for Thursday

Scripture lesson: Isaiah 63:7-9 “... all that the Lord has done for us”

Time to reflect: We can see God's willingness to stay with Israel through every insult, every act of disobedience, every wrong turn. This should help us to understand that similarly God will not give up on us.

Moving through the day: Thank God for this steadfastness.

Scripture:

I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD,
the deeds for which he is to be praised,
according to all the LORD has done for us—
yes, the many good things he has done
for the house of Israel,
according to his compassion and many kindnesses.

He said, "Surely they are my people,
sons who will not be false to me";
and so he became their Savior.

In all their distress he too was distressed,
and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them
all the days of old.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Titus 3:4-7 God's Grace

Time to reflect: Put simply, we cannot save ourselves, no matter what we do; no matter how good we are. It is only through God's free gift (the underlying meaning of the word “Grace”) that we have salvation.

Moving through the day: How hard is it to accept a free gift?

Scripture:

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

PrayerBits for Tuesday

Scripture lesson: John 1:1-14 The Word

Time to reflect: What kind of symbolic name is “The Word” for Jesus? It might be analogous to our calling Jesus “The Net,” implying the ultimate network; the network beyond all other networks. Trying plugging that concept into this passage, replacing “The Word” with “The Net.”

Moving through the day: Modern Christians are fairly good with thinking of Jesus as human, but how often do we think of Jesus as being God and a part of the Creation and everything else God has been involved in? Meditate on this issue.

Scripture:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

PrayerBits for Monday

Scripture lesson: Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord

Time to reflect: This message is throughout the Bible: That God, being God, is better able to do things than we humans. The more we rely on God the better we are able to do things. We have to do our part, of course, but if we start by including God we are better off.

Moving Through The Day: Think about something you are worried about or uncertain about and pray for guidance and help. Practice thinking about God being involved every step of the way.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Footnotes:

PrayerBits for Sunday

Scripture lesson: Matthew 2:13-23 The slaying of the innocents

Time to reflect: There is no historical record of this event outside of the Bible but we do know that Herod was capable of this and, in fact had one set of his own children killed.

Moving through the day: Think about how cruel and violent humans can be. Pray that you resist such inhumanity wherever, whenever you can. Pray that God intervene to reduce the slaying of innocents around the world.

Scripture:

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
"A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more."

The Return to Nazareth

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child's life are dead."

So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: "He will be called a Nazarene."