Finished before Starting

John 6:1-40, Genesis 22-23

John 6:26 – Do not labor for food that perishes, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.  For on him the Father has set his seal.

Lord God, the day is just beginning and there is a list of things that needs to get done.  My to-do list seems to grow by the hour not shrink, even as I check things off my list.  It’s overwhelming just to consider.  But that to-do list is nothing compared to your expectations of me.  The love you want me to show and the service you want me to perform is all too much for me. This verse from Jesus is such a breath of fresh air.  It reminds me what I’m really working for today.  In fact, it reminds me that I already have what I want.  Jesus, you are the bread that lasts to eternal life; yes, you are the bread that gives me eternal life.  You are the One that checked off every item on God’s to-do list and gave the completed list to me.  You are the One who forgives my every sin and gives me strength, by your Spirit, to live for you today.  What peace this gives me to know that already, right now, I can start my day with a completed task list, the only task list that matters.  I start this day with the confidence that the work you required of me is already completed.  I start this day with the hope that you will give me strength to do that which you want me to do this day.  Amen. 

Life Now

Day 1: John 5:1-30, Genesis 16-18

John 5:24 – Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.  He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Lord God, I live and act sometimes like I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders.  I live as if it were all up to me.  And then I look at the daily grind and long for it all to be over. I look the future for hope and wait with expectation for what you are preparing for me in heaven.  I can’t wait for that.  But Lord, you show me here that I can live now, that you have given me life already now, today.  Even now.  Today.  I have as my very own possession eternal life.  I have, already today, passed from death to life.  There is no judgment for me.  You have already declared my verdict; I am not guilty.  You will raise me from the dust of the earth on the last day; I will live with you forever.  And even now, already today, you promise to be with me and even play for me – you, Lord Jesus, are for me and not against me.  You understand the struggles I face and you can help me.  In fact, you want to and even do help me.  You invite, yes, even urge me to come into your presence with anything at any time.  I don’t have to wait until heaven to enjoy your blessings.  Grant joy to my spirit by your Spirit because of the life I already have from you.  Amen.

Always a Student

Day 6: Proverbs 1:1-19, Psalm 1-5

Always a Student.

Proverbs 1:5-6 – Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.

Lord God, I know that this is good advice and good counsel from Solomon.  He rightly urges me to constantly be a student and to increase my knowledge.  He rightly tells me that it takes work on my part to grow up. I know, O Lord, that it is the Holy Spirit’s work to give me faith, to give me wisdom, and to transform my heart and life by the Word that I study. And, at the very same time, you urge me to do the work of a student, to learn, to listen, to wrestle, to chew.  I confess that I have often passively sat in my student’s desk and have not engaged in the study of your Word.  I have listened to a sermon without doing the work of a listener.  I have read your Word without wrestling with it, meditating on it, and chewing it.  Questions about your Word have come to my mind, but I have not expended the effort and energy to go get answers and learn from you and from others. I’m sorry that I have sat idly.  I have grown stale and stagnant.  Today, I ask, help guide and support my pastor as he prepares a meal of God’s Word for me.  Give him your Words so that he rightly speaks as your agent of grace to me. Help and prepare me to hear from him tomorrow.  Give me good rest tonight so that I can attentively listen.  Help me actively listen, engaging my mind and my heart. Make me a student tomorrow that I might apply your Words spoken during worship to my heart and life.  Your Word is always relevant and I can never know it well enough.  Grow me by your Word tomorrow and every day.  Amen. 

A Name above all Names

Day 4: John 4:1-26, Genesis 10-11

Genesis 11:4 – Then they said, “Come… let us make a name for ourselves, lest we dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

Lord God, your name is great.  It is a saving name.  It is a name of love and mercy and grace.  I can see that in the way you gently and directly deal with the Samaritan woman.  I can see your love and mercy in the way that you intervene in the plans of those building the tower.  If they had succeeded in building this tower, they might have been lost to your kingdom forever.  Happy with their own name instead of yours!  I see their arrogance in me too often.  I see in the deepest motivations for my plans and my working that my name is the one I am most concerned about.  I want to be noticed, to be successful, to be great, to be liked.  And to what end?  That my name would be great.  Forgive me for hallowing my own name instead of yours.  Forgive me for seeking my will instead of yours.  O God, I thank you that often times you put stumbling blocks in front of my plans.  I thank you that you even let my plans fail.  All with one purpose in my heart and life.  All with one purpose in the hearts and lives of all people, including – that we all might know your great name and be saved.  There is but one name given to men by which we must be saved and that name is yours, Jesus.  I pray.  Keep me humble.  Keep me faithful.  Move me to live for you and for you alone.  It is the freest and the best way to live.  Amen.

Less of me. More of him.

Day 3: John 3, Genesis 6-9

Less me.  More Jesus.

John 3:29b-30 – There this joy of mine is complete.  He must increase, but I must decrease.

Lord Jesus, there was not an ounce of territorialism in John.  Everyone else was so concerned that more people were following you instead of him, but John wasn’t concerned.  He was happy, even full of joy, to be your friend.  He was joyful that you had come. I see my problem.  I see why I often miss out on the joy that John had.  I am territorial.  I like my little kingdoms – my house, my projects, my kingdom.  I see all these things as “mine” and not yours.  I take failures personally.  I take rejection of my ideas as a personal attack on my baby.  Forgive me.  I must decrease! It is for me that you have come.  It is for me that you have come to be lifted up on a cross so that I might live.  It is for me that you have given your life so that I might look to you and not die.  It is for me and my salvation.  I am your friend.  Grant me the same complete joy that John had, a joy that is just happy to be your friend, a friend of the bridegroom.  Fill me with joy to be your servant, always decreasing so that you might always increase in the eyes of those I serve.  Amen.