PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Numbers 21:4-9 Short-sighted people

Time to reflect: The Israelites could only focus their present condition and concerns, oblivious to the suffering they had escaped, oblivious of the promise of the “promised land” they were heading toward.

Moving through the day: Meditate on the tendency of humans (collectively and individually) to be short sighted and bring on woes as a result.

Scripture:

The Bronze Snake

  They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

  Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

  The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Jeremiah 8:18-22 Is there no balm in Gilead?

Time to reflect: It is generally understood that Jeremiah is speaking here. If, so this is Jeremiah who has been abused, ridiculed, treated with disrespect and there had even been a murder attempt against him. Yet, instead of revenge, when his people suffer he suffers even more greatly in their behalf.

Moving through the day: We are each called, like Jeremiah, to challenge society but also to love it. Pray about where and how you are called to do both of these things.

 Scripture:

O my Comforter in sorrow,
       my heart is faint within me.

  Listen to the cry of my people
       from a land far away:
       "Is the LORD not in Zion?
       Is her King no longer there?"
       "Why have they provoked me to anger with their images,
       with their worthless foreign idols?"

 "The harvest is past,
       the summer has ended,
       and we are not saved."

 Since my people are crushed, I am crushed;
       I mourn, and horror grips me.

Is there no balm in Gilead?
       Is there no physician there?
       Why then is there no healing
       for the wound of my people?

PrayerBits for Wednesday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Wednesday

Scripture lesson: Jeremiah 8:18-22 Is there no balm in Gilead?

Time to reflect: It is generally understood that Jeremiah is speaking here. If, so this is Jeremiah who has been abused, ridiculed, treated with disrespect and there had even been a murder attempt against him. Yet, instead of revenge, when his people suffer he suffers even more greatly in their behalf.

Moving through the day: We are each called, like Jeremiah, to challenge society but also to love it. Pray about where and how you are called to do both of these things.

 Scripture:

O my Comforter in sorrow,
       my heart is faint within me.

  Listen to the cry of my people
       from a land far away:
       "Is the LORD not in Zion?
       Is her King no longer there?"
       "Why have they provoked me to anger with their images,
       with their worthless foreign idols?"

 "The harvest is past,
       the summer has ended,
       and we are not saved."

 Since my people are crushed, I am crushed;
       I mourn, and horror grips me.

Is there no balm in Gilead?
       Is there no physician there?
       Why then is there no healing
       for the wound of my people?