Wednesday, June 25th

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness.  By his wounds you have been healed.  For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”  1 Peter 2:24-25

Lord Jesus, You have done so much for me.  When I was lost and going astray, you turned me back by your gentle call and your loving staff.  By your redemption, you have adopted me into the family of God and I belong to you.  By your life, you have given me a perfect standing before God.  And now, you promise, that you are the Shepherd and Overseer of my soul.  No matter what things may happen to me, od you are watching over my soul.  You are shepherding me along every path.  Lord, help me to trust your guiding, your protecting and your planning.  I was lost, but now I’m found.  Keep me close to you all the days of my life that I may be yours now and forever.  Amen.

Tuesday, June 24th

“For you were called to this, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps.  He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; when he was insulted, he did not insult in return but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.”  1 Peter 2:21-23

Lord Jesus, When people hurt me, it is so easy for me to hurt back in the same way that they hurt me, even worse.  I want to get even with them.  I want to hurt them back.  But that’s not the kind of life that I learn from you.  You did the very opposite of what my nature would do.  Teach me to follow your example.  Help me learn from you.  Help me learn to be like you when people insult me and false say all kinds of evil against me.  Help me learn to keep my mouth closed, but instead find comfort and assurance in what you say about me.  Their words may sting.  Their words may ruin my reputation.  But, Lord God, eternally and before you in heaven their words have no standing.  Your word has the final say-so.  And Lord, when people hurt me, when they abuse me, teach me to trust you to handle things.  It is not my responsibility to get justice.  That belongs to you, Lord.  Help me to trust you to get justice in the right way at the right time.  You claim that right.  And it rightly belongs you.  Yes, Lord, justice does belong to you.  Teach me to follow the example that Christ left me.  Help me learn from him to keep my mouth closed and heart trusting you in the face of the harm that comes to me.  Amen.

Monday, June 23rd

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?  Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Matthew 5:43-48

Dear Jesus, You modeled love for your enemies perfectly.  I’m glad you did because your life covers mine.  It really clears the air to hear you say, “Even pagans love their own people and greet them.”  It’s not special Christian love to love those who love me first.  It’s special Christian love to show love to those who hate and mistreat me.  A few times in my life you have walked with me through this special kind of love.  It was a moving experience for me and the people you made me love.  Give me this over the top unconditional love for the sand paper people in my life.  Make me mature in love like you and your father are.  I cannot do this one on my own.  I will need your Spirit’s supernatural power.  Amen.

We weren’t lovable when God first loved us.  So, don’t expect people to earn your love before you give it.  Change them into someone lovable by how you treat them. 

Saturday, June 21st

“For you were called to this because Christ also suffered for you.”  1 Peter 2:21

Lord Jesus, It is such a marvel to watch you.  And it hits me that all this that you suffered at the hands of wicked men, all this injustice, all the false accusation, you did it for me.  It was for me that you suffered like this.  It was for me that you kept your mouth closed when you had every reason to retaliate.  It was for me that you were condemned so that I might be set free from condemnation.  It was all for me.  That’s what you did for me, dear Jesus.  Let your cross be a constant reminder to me of how deeply and how dearly you love me.  Let your cross tell me what you gave and what you did for me so that I could be yours.  And then, Lord Jesus, by your suffering and death, grant peace to my soul because all that you did, you did it for me.  Amen.

Friday, June 20th

“For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.  But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?  But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”  1 Peter 2:19-20

Dear Father, Peter places such an emphasis on the way that I live and especially on the way that I live within the relationships of my life.  He urges me to do the right thing no matter what. It’s easy when a boss is overbearing or when the government is unjust for us to think that it is justifiable to fight back, to rebel, and to push back against it.  Then, we wear the suffering that comes like a badge of honor when it was our sin that earned us that suffering.  I wonder to myself how much of the suffering in my life was earned because I acted in a way that was out of line with my calling, when I acted in a way that was unloving and disrespectful.  I look back at some of the suffering in my life and realize in repentance that I deserved that pain because I was out of line.  Lord God, help me to simply live in my callings and to fit into my place.  If suffering comes unjustly, I know, dear Lord, that you are watching me and you will reward me graciously with heaven and your loving commendation.  If suffering comes to me because of my own sin, lead me, dear Savior, to repent of my sin and to fit back into my place.  Help me, dear Lord, to do the right thing no matter what the consequences may be for my body and life.  Amen.

Thursday, June 19th

“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’  But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all; either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.  And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.  All you need to say is simply ‘Yes” or “No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”  Matthew 5:33-37

Dear Jesus, How hard it must be for you to watch us puny little humans make promises and ask others to trust our ability to make things happen for them, when you know all along that your heavenly father holds our every breath in the palm of his hand.  Your father has complete control of my life.  I just want to be faithful to my word and let him take care of everything else.  Help my generation to quit flippantly saying, “I swear to God.’ as if your name is free for our slang.  Make us reverent and dependent on your father just as you were perfectly during your entire life.  Our lives are in his hands.  It gives us peace but it also makes us careful not to boast about ourselves and our ability to accomplish anything without him.  Amen.

If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.

Wednesday, June 18th

“Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.”  1 Peter 2:18

Lord God, my callings in life constantly guide me and give me my place in this world.  You have placed me in all kinds of relationships and teach me to submit within all of those relationships.  You have put me in a workplace with bosses over me and people under me.  They are my bosses and you call me to submit to them, even if they’re not that great of a boss.  You have put me in a family relationship; there you call me to honor my parents, love my spouse, and submit to my husband.  You tell me to do all this without giving any perspective to whether my boss is good or bad, whether my parents are good or bad.  You tell me to fit into my place simply because you are the big boss.  You, God, in your grace and mercy have put bosses over me at work, husbands over wives, parents over children.  This is the way you have ordered things in my life for my good and for my benefit.  As I go to work today, help me to remember that you are the big boss and that when I work for my boss, I’m working for you.  Help me to do my job with all my might because you’re the big boss.  Amen. 

Tuesday, June 17th

Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.”  1 Peter 2:17

Lord God, My place in this world has been given to me by you.  I know, by my callings, exactly where I fit.  I sit underneath the government; I am a citizen and I owe all my leaders whether I like them or not honor, respect and obedience.  I sit inside the family of believers; I am a member of that family and I owe each member of that body a love that makes them first.  I owe all people in this world respect, simply because they are created by you.  Most of all God, I owe you fear and respect, awe and wonder, because you are the great God of this universe and the Savior of the World.  You are truly worthy of awe and wonder.  Help me to know my place and to fit in just where you put me.  Keep me from longing to be outside of my place in my callings.  Keep me from fighting against the order that you have established in my life.  Make it clear to me where I fit in and help me to fill my callings.  Amen.

Monday, June 16th

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”  Matthew 5:27-30

Dear Jesus, In this uncommitted culture I easily remove myself from the law about marriage.  I have never committed adultery so I feel smugly righteous.  But then, you drive a spear in my heart.  You tell me I have committed adultery in my heart more times than I could count.  Help me take my thoughts as seriously as you do.  Help me fight for a pure heart that refuses to objectivize people.  Give me the discipline and love to focus on helping and encouraging others instead of exploiting them in my heart.  Make me a grace driven, truth sharing, love showing, saint.  I want to help others see your intentions for marriage by the way I hold all marriages sacred, starting with my own.  Amen.

Marriage is one of God’s most cherished possessions.  Don’t do anything to mess it up. 

Saturday, June 14th

“Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves.”  1 Peter 2:16

O God, It’s easy for me to use your grace and your forgiveness as an excuse to do whatever I want.  I can talk how I want because you’ll forgive me.  I can do what I want because you’ll forgive me.  There’s always more grace, I think to myself.  But God, that’s sinful thinking.  That’s wicked thinking.  Your grace is not an excuse for evil, for sin, for anything outside of your will.  Your always new and never-ending forgiveness is never an excuse for me to do what I want.  Lord God, keep me from using your grace as an excuse.  Instead, let your grace and your daily forgiveness drive and compel me to live for you.  This is your day, help me to live in it as your child and your redeemed slave.  Amen.

Friday, June 13th

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.  Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court.  Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.  Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”  Matthew 5:23-26

Dear Jesus, I live among a people that are addicted to litigation.  Every car wreck and every mishap in the hospital is punctuated by law suits.  It bleeds down to our personal relationships where we seem to be more interested in getting even or ahead than reconciled.  Our marriages are ravaged, our friendships shattered and neighbors live in cool tension with one another.  Give me the spirit of your word here, that leads me to resolve conflict with forgiveness, compromise and peace-loving friendship.  Help me see the value in winning them over rather than winning over my enemies.  Amen.

Conflict is an opportunity to unleash the gospel at street level.  Don’t mess it up by trying to win. 

Thursday, June 12th

“For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.”  1 Peter 2:15

Lord God, People are watching my live my life.  People are listening to what I say, who I say it about, and even how I say it.  People are observing how I behave.  They are watching everything I do, everything.  They are watching the way I speak about our leaders and how I submit to them.  They are watching how I serve and what I do in my service.  Lord God, let my life be a powerful and a loud witness to the God I serve.  Let my whole life be set apart for you Lord.  Make my life a witness and a testimony to you, Lord.  By my life, silence their accusations about “those” Christians.  Let my life give people around me no reason to complain or accuse.  I know they’re watching, Lord.  Help me to show them how good and great you are.  Amen.

Wednesday, June 11th

“Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.”  1 Peter 2:11

Lord God, I so badly want to have a life of peace and calm.  I so badly want to just go along and get along because it’s more comfortable.  It’s so easy for me to sin and to say, “It’s just the way I am.”  It’s so easy for me to sin and say, “I couldn’t help it.”  It’s so easy for me to fall into any sort of sin and not realize what’s really happened.  But Peter’s telling me!  The desires of my sinful nature are warring against my soul.  The desires and the sins of my sinful nature are not small things that I can let remain.  These things want to kill my faith and my soul.  Help me, O God, to fight back.  Give me strength and power from your Spirit to fight back against the sin in my nature, to hate it as much as you do.  Give me power by my baptism to daily kill my sinful nature in me with all its evil and wicked desires.  Help me never sit back and let things go.  Make me a warrior to fight against all that is sin in me.  Amen.

Tuesday, June 10th

“You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”  Matthew 5:13

Dear Jesus, You have made me salt by redeeming me and teaching me your ways.  It makes me different than the world.  I have love for people, love for the truth and love for purity.  Being different can be abrasive, even painful.  But I know it enables me to make a difference in people’s lives.  I am your preservative.  Don‘t allow me to hide or lose my saltiness.  Instead, give me boldness to speak your truths into the lives of others.  Once I have touched them with truth, they cannot erase it from their minds.  It’s there to do its work all on its own.  Give me faith and love that make me season the world of people around me.  Amen.

We were created in Christ to make an eternal difference in others.  Don’t rob them of the effect. 

Monday, June 9th

“Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Acts 2:2-4

Holy Spirit, I pray that you enter my heart daily through your blessings, as you did to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.  Stir me up to wholehearted devotion to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Open my lips to testify to the living hope which you have given me through the risen Christ.  Give me courage and boldness to speak your word with power so more people everywhere may know the Father, the Son, and you, the Holy Spirit.  Bless the preaching of the Gospel everywhere, and through it conquer the hearts of men for Christ, their King.  Graciously attend the work of our pastors and teachers throughout the world that by their ministry many sous may be added daily to your church.  Enlighten my understanding, control my affections, purify my ambitions, and sanctify my actions, that men may see my good works and glorify my Father in heaven.  Keep me trustful in your Savior and repentant over my sin.  Enter into my heart with your blessings and into my life with your direction.  Amen.

Saturday, June 7th

“You yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”  1 Peter 2:5

Lord God, There are a lot of things that amaze me.  It amazes me that you even want me to be a stone in your spiritual house, especially since I keep on sinning even after I know better.  And yet, God, you still cleanse me by your Spirit and build me into your house, as a stone mason would.  This amazes me!  But what astounds me just as much, sometimes even more is this: You want me to serve you and you love what I do in faith.  You love the way that I take care of my family.  You love the way that I serve at my church.  You love the way that I neighbor the people who live around me.  Whatever I do in faith, you love it and it smells good to you.  The sacrifice of my life smells good to you.  Help me, O God, to realize this awesome privilege and continue to offer up spiritual sacrifices, a life that pleases you.  Amen.

Friday, June 6th

“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you.”  Jeremiah 32:17

Dear Heavenly Father, When I look at the beautiful clouds of many fantastic shapes and sizes, when I hear the thunder and feel the smack of lightening, when I get caught in a wind storm or watch a placid lake rise up in a tumult, -I think, ”God you are awesome and powerful, more mighty than anything I have ever imagined.”  I love how Jeremiah, thousands of years ago, allowed his observation of your power in creation to give him the confidence that nothing was too hard for you.  If you can make and govern all of creation, what are our problems to you.  You can handle all our needs and take care of all our sorrows.  So, Oh God of nature, I give to you all my concerns.  Watch over them and work them out just like you watch over this planet you have invented.  Amen.

God made everything, why would he not also carry everything for us when we need him to.

Thursday, June 5th

“A friend loves at all times and brother was born for a time of adversity.”  Proverbs 17:17

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending help through people to share the joys and sorrows of life with me.  In your mercy you have chosen both friends and family to walk with me through this difficult life.  We are not perfect.  We often muddle through being the support the other person needs.  But as imperfect as we are, we are still your gift to each other.  Your invention of community is wonderful and makes long roads shorter.  Give me the wisdom to be the encouragement, support and help that friends and family in my life need.  Make me like your Son who met needs at the corner of every moment.  Amen.

People are like car parts.  They sit useless in a box on a shelf until they are connected to others. 

Wednesday, June 4th

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  1 Peter 2:9-10

Lord God, I was once on the outside looking in.  I was once not your people.  I was once not loved.  I was once not yours.  But in your love for me, you chose me to be yours.  In mercy, you made me to be a royal priest in your house.  In care and concern, you made me your own and called me, along with all who believe in you, “the people of God.”  Lord God, you treasure me and hold me dear.  Help me to treasure this identity and stay close to you in it.  You are telling me, through Peter, who I am to you.  Help me to live out this identity in my life today.  I am yours.  Lord, let your name be made holy by my words, actions.  Yes, let your name be hallowed through my whole life today.  Amen.

Tuesday, June 3rd

“Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.  He said: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.  Blessed are those who are righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’”  Matthew 5:1-12

Dear Jesus, What you taught on that mountain is counter-intuitive to how we are hard-wired.  In our fallen state we are hardwired to believe “A match don’t burn twice” and “Look out for number one” and “If it feels good, do it” and “You gotta believe in yourself.”    But you say “be humble, poor in spirit, a peacemaker, merciful, pure in heart, hungry for righteousness, happy to be persecuted for doing the right thing.”  That’s not my default document.  That supernatural spiritual truth was meant to raise me up into the man you always wanted me to be.  I can’t do it without your help.  So, I’m begging you now, please fill me with your Holy Spirit and bring to mind your empowering words so I can live the blessed life that you and all of heaven know is right.  Make these beatitudes my attitude and give me the ability to swim upstream past the petty spiritual perjuries of my times.  Amen.

Christ's love compels to us to bring him with us to help us die for our generation like he did for his.