Readings: Matthew 5:38-42 Matthew 5:43-48 Matthew 6:1-4, 16-18 Devotion 1 Wait: Take time to sit in silence together, allowing space for God’s voice to be heard. Read: Matthew 5:38-42 Today’s reading comes to the heart of Jesus’ stance toward injustice and oppressive powers. Unfortunately, Jesus’ words here, typified by the saying, “turn the other cheek,”
Readings: Matthew 5:27-30 Matthew 5:31-32 Matthew 5:33-37 Devotion 1 Wait: Take time to sit in silence together, allowing space for God’s voice to be heard. Read: Matthew 5:27-30 In this teaching, Jesus addresses adultery. As we read this and the following passage on divorce, the tone might strike us as archaic or even offensive—it is
Readings: Matthew 5:13-16 Matthew 5:17-20 Matthew 5:21-26 Devotion 1 Wait: Take time to sit in silence together, allowing space for God’s voice to be heard. Read: Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the land; but if salt has become foolish, how can its saltiness be restored?” (Mt 5:13) We pick up the reading
Readings: Psalm 37 Matthew 5:1-6 Matthew 5:7-12 Devotion 1 Wait: Take time to sit in silence together, allowing space for God’s voice to be heard. Read: Psalm 37 This psalm serves as a backdrop for reading the Beatitudes. In it, the writer speaks of the threat, or most likely the reality, of losing their land.
Readings: Matthew 4:1-11 Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25 Matthew 4:18-22 Devotion 1 Wait: Take time to sit in silence together, allowing space for God’s voice to be heard. Read: Matthew 4:1-11 In the preceding story of Jesus’ baptism, we heard the voice from heaven announce, “This is my Son”. Now, however, another voice—the “tempter” (4:3) or
Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11 Matthew 3:1-12 Matthew 3:13-16 Devotion 1 Wait: Take time to sit in silence together, allowing space for God’s voice to be heard. Read: Isaiah 40:1-11 Isaiah 40 is God’s word, after a long and terrible silence, to Israel in exile. The people have been conquered, captured and subjugated by Babylon, losing their
Readings: Matthew 2:1-12 Matthew 2:13-18 Matthew 2:19-23 Devotion 1 Wait: Take time to sit in silence together, allowing space for God’s voice to be heard. Read: Matthew 2:1-12 This well-known story of the Magi—or wise men—is told year after year at countless Christmas pageants. Yet we seldom stop to think about its significance. Here, at
Readings Matthew 1:1-17 Isaiah 43:14-44:8 Matthew 1:18-25 Devotion 1 Wait: Take time to sit in silence together, allowing space for God’s voice to be heard. Read: Matthew 1:1-17 “Call me Ishmael.” “’To be born again,’ sang Gibreel Farishta tumbling from the heavens, ‘first you have to die.’” “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family
Grace To release our identities to be defined by the hands of the living God. Readings John 18:15-18 John 18:19-24 John 18:25-27 John 18:28-38a Devotion 1 Wait: Spend some time waiting on God, aware of your own frailty and God’s grace. Read: John 18:15-18 Ask: What strikes you in today’s reading? In what ways do
Grace To grow closer to and more like Jesus using spiritual disciplines and increase simplicity in lifestyle. Readings John 14:1-14 John 14:15-31 John 15:1-17 John 15:18-25 Devotion 1 Wait: Spend some time waiting on God, letting God reshape your heart and vision. Read: John 14:1-14 The discipleship community is shattered by the news of imminent