Daily Devotion - Daily Feast

The Daily Devotions this week are from Daily Feast: Meditations from Feasting on the Word, Year B.


Psalm 22:27-29
All the ends of the earth shall remember
  and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
  shall worship before him.
For dominion belongs to the Lord,
  and he rules over the nations.
To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth
bow down;
  before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
  and I shall live for him.



'God's providential care is put into the context of the expansion of the rule of God. The psalmist enlarges the rule of God geographically from the people of Israel to the whole earth, and temporally from those who are now living to future generations.'

Charles A. Wiley



We are that future generation.  We are the people of God. How will you worship today?

Daily Devotion - Daily Feast

This week the daily reflections are taken from Daily Feast: Meditations from Feasting on the Word, Year B. Daily Feast looks ahead to the scripture texts for the coming Sunday and offers a meditation, response and prayer for each day.  (It is available in both print and ebook editions).  I have the ebook edition through the Kindle App on my iPad.

Reflection on Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 - God's covenant with Abraham

'On the Second Sunday in Lent, this point merits attention. We do not head straight to Easter from the spa or the shopping mall. Instead, we are invited to spend forty days examining the nature of our own covenant with God. Upon what does that relationship depend? What do we trust to give us life? What concrete practices allow us to become bodily involved with God? If we were to ask God for a new name, what might that name be? What new purpose might that name signify? While Lent focuses naturally on the example of Jesus, Jesus focused just as naturally on the example of Abraham (Matt 8:11). Like his forebear in faith, Jesus walked toward God's promise in steady trust, leading God to give him a new name too: "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." '

Barbara Brown Taylor

Daily Devotion - Psalm 25

Poetry holds the abstract for a moment so that we can see it, taste it, greet where the fleeting touches our lives.  Describing God, theology - also known as the science of God, is more than an art than it is a science. Ultimately it comes down to where we discover God's life touching ours.  These final verses of Psalm 25 holds of goodness of God close to our dusty path.

Verses 8 - 10
Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

Daily Devotion - Psalm 25

Especially on Ash Wednesday we can search our sins because we know God is merciful.  Would a joyful life that shares God's love be  possible if the only path to spiritual growth was to name our sins and change them ourselves?  A loving and merciful God pulls us forward, pulls us closer.

Psalm 25 verses 6 - 7

Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness sake, O Lord!


Beginning today On Line Lenten Devotions are also available at www.stjohnsec.org. Written by members of the parish, we share our Lenten journey through love, grief, loss, and restoration  as we prepare for the Paschal Feast.

Daily Devotion - Psalm 25

The poetry and prayer in this psalm lead us to place our human lives in intimate relationship with God.  On a day what the revelry of Mardi Gras is in full swing, these verse offer another way to look at, and within, ourselves.

Verses 3-5
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.

Daily Devotion - Psalm 25

The season of Light (Epiphany) concludes and the Season of Prayer (Lent) begins. Psalm 25 is both a poem and a prayer.  In many congregations, it will be read this coming Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent.

Each day this week, a few verses of the Psalm will be offered for your prayer, your reflection, your wonderings.  You might keep it with you throughout the day.  Is there a different prayer that comes forth for you from these words in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening?

Psalm 25 verses 1 and 2

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.

Daily Devotion - Epiphany Hymns

Light illuminates the path.  Light is essential for growth.  A bright sunny day brings out  the playfulness and joy within us.  The growing light of Epiphany brings forth the joy of the Christian life.

Reflect today on the words of this joyful hymn.  The words have energy and bounce.

"Awake, my soul stretch every nerve, and press with vigor on; a heavenly race demands they zeal, and an immortal crown, and an immortal crown.

A cloud of witnesses around hold thee in full survey; forget the steps already trod, and onward urge they way, and onward urge thy way.

'Tis God's all animating voice that calls thee from on high; 'its his own hand presents the prize to thine aspiring eye, to thine aspiring eye.

Then wake, my soul, stretch every nerve, and press with vigor on; a heavenly race demands thy zeal and an immortal crown, and an immortal crown."

Philip Doddridge (1702-1751)

Daily Devotion - Epiphany Hymns

A season of light opens places previously hidden from us.  Perhaps those sacred places of our being are hidden by illness, or a vision of the world constricted by hurt, fear, or, worry.  Perhaps those sacred places where God lives are squeezed off inside us by tightness of our spirit through our need to control.  Epiphany light infiltrates those places so that we are continually opening to God.

Reflect on these selected verses of a hymn about God's light spreading through out and wonder about the openings in you.

"Thou, whose almighty word chaos and darkness heard, and took their flight; hear us, we humbly pray, and where the Gospel day sheds not its glorious ray, let there be light!

Spirit of truth and love, life-giving, holy Dove, speed forth they flight! Move on the waters face bearing the gifts of grace, through the world far and wide, let there be light!"

Words:  John Marriott (1780-1825), alt.

Daily Devotion - Epiphany Hymns

The season of Epiphany celebrates the light of God spreading across the world bringing hope, healing, and reconciliation.  A master of Christian theology in verse is Charles Wesley. Reflect today on these selected verses of this hymn that shares the exuberance of the world shining with Christ's light.

"O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise, the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace!

Jesus! the Name that charms our fears and bids our sorrows cease; 'tis music in the sinner's ears, 'tis life and health and peace.

Glory to God and praise and love be now and ever given by saints below and saints above the Church in earth and  heaven."

Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Daily Devotion - Epiphany Hymns

This week we move toward the Last Sunday after the Epiphany.  This season of growing light brings the light of Christ more fully into our lives.  The hymns of this season celebrate this revelation.  Each day this week, a hymn text will be offered for your reflection.



"Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus Lord to thee we raise, manifested by the star to the sages from afar; branch of royal David's stem in thy birth at Bethlehem; anthems be to the addressed, God in man made manifest.

Manifest at Jordan's stream, Prophet, Priest, and King supreme; and at Cana, wedding guest, in thy Godhead manifest; manifest in power divine, changing water into wine; anthems be to thee addressed, God in man made manifest.

Manifest in making whole, palsied limbs and fainting soul; manifest in valiant fight, quelling all the devil's might; manifest in gracious will, ever bringing good from ill; anthems be to thee addressed, God in man made manifest."

Verse 1-3
Words: Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885)
Music: Salzburg, melody Jakob Hintze (1622-1702); harm. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Daily Devotion - Healing and Disciples

"...immediately the leprosy left him, and, he was made clean.  After sternly warning him he sent him way at once, saying to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the  priest, and offer for your cleaning what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them"  Mark 1:42-43 NRSV.

In the healing stories that we hear in the season of Epiphany, those how are healed are left to return to the every day life in family, community, and a new lift with God.  Jesus does not send them forth to be disciples or give them a charge to spread the Gospel.  Even though those who are healed do not always follow Jesus' admonitions to be quiet, they also are not called to be disciples.

Reflect today what is the different between healing and discipleship.  When have you been healed and how does that describe your relationship with Christ?  When have you been a disciple sharing your story in Christ's life?  How are these two parts of the Christian life different?  How are they the same?

Daily Devotion - Living Christians

"Christianity is not a series of ideas to be held in the mind, analyzed in the classroom, or defended in the marketplace.  Christianity is, above all else, a life to be lived."
V. Bruce Rigdon from Daily Feast, Year B.

1 Corinthians 9: 24-27
Paul uses the metaphor of a race for the Christian life.  An athlete runs the race, but, cannot be part of the main event without training, preparation, and a disciplined direction for each day. Paul heightens the awareness of the intensity and the significance of the Christian life in this passage.

Reflect today how this scripture passage nourishes you in your Christian life.  What vitamins are in these words for you that are essential.  Do you believe your day to day life as a Christian is significant?  If not, why not?

Daily Devotion - God's goodwill

"The secret of faith is placing the negations of life within the bigger picture of God's creative goodwill."
Thomas D. Parker in Daily Feast, Year B."


Read Psalm 30 aloud today.  Let the words nourish you.

"I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
and  did not let my foes rejoice over me.
O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.

Sing praises of the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger is but for a moment;
his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
but joy comes in the morning.

As for me, I said in my prosperity,
'I shall never be moved.'
By your favor, O Lord,
you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.

To you, O Lord, I cried,
and to the Lord I made supplication:
What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
'Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
O Lord, be my helper!'

You have turned my mourning to dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever."

Daily Devotion - Simple Things

Reflection on 2 Kings 5:1-14

The army general in this passage, Naaman, is all about power and control.  Yet, he suffers from a disease that he cannot control.  The disfiguring disease of leprosy does not deter Naaman from his command, his troops, his duty, his loyalty to his king, his self mastery.  Truly the character Naaman presents to the world comes from within.

Yet, he is not whole.

When the prophet Elisha sends word for Naaman to wash in the Jordan, the task is not challenging enough for Naaman.  He rejects the words God has sent him preferring his view that anything worthwhile is hard.

His own servants convince him to give it a try, and,  Naaman is healed.

Reflect today about what simple things do you reject just because they seem to easy?  What are the gentle ways that is God calling you closer to healing that you put aside?  Who helps you put aside your control and turn to God?

Daily Devotion - Nourishment of Scripture

Each day this week The Daily Devotions will reflect on one of the passages of scripture for this coming Sunday, February 12, The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany.  To begin our week of nourishment from scripture, reflect on this quote from Eugene Peterson author of  Eat this Book.

"Christians feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. Christians don't simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love, cups of cold water, missions into all the world, healing and evangelism and justice in Jesus' name, hands raised in adoration of the Father, feet washed in the company with the Son."

Daily Devotion - Silence Balance

Its going to be a weekend of reveling in our national sport.  Everything about the weekend is big, the media coverage, the contest, the cheers, the parties. Who can be the loudest and most noticed.  Even Madonna says she is nervous.

In the practice of Yoga one set of muscles opposes the other.  One part of the body pushing down and the other pushing up and out.  Pushing in opposing directions not only brings balance to the body, but also to your inner being.

Silence is the opposing Yoga stretch for this weekend of big noise.  Create three minutes of silence today, tomorrow, and Sunday to draw upon as a reservoir.  Place yourself in a place of silence, even if it seems like a small morsel of time.  Set yourself into the inner life of God and rest in the silence.  It will bring balance.

Daily Devotion - Sail On!

"The safest place for ships is in the harbor, but that's not why ships were built."  Anonymous

Where did you sail this week?  Did you embark on an adventure, explore a new shore line, discover a new landmass in yourself or in your relationship with God?  Did that adventure excite you, overwhelm you, or, cause you to wish you had stayed in the harbor?

Sail on!  You were not intended to bob in the water with your sails down but to let the winds of life fill those sails as you navigate the dynamic forces all around you.  You were intended to break open new discoveries and venture out into uncharted waters for Christ.

If these past few days were quiet, then perhaps your adventure is waiting with the next breeze.

Daily Devotion - God's intense interest in us

Ars Poetica #100: I Believe by Elizabeth Alexander

Poetry, I tell my students,
is idiosyncratic. Poetry

is where we address ourselves,
(though Sterling Brown said

"Every 'I' is a dramatic 'I'")
digging in the clam flats

for the shell that snaps,
emptying proverbial pocketbooks.

Poetry is what you find
in the dirt in the corner,

overhear on the bus, God
in the details, the only way

to get from here to there.
Poetry (and now my voice is rising)

is not all love, love, love,
and I'm sorry the dog died.

Poetry (here I hear myself loudest)
is the human voice,

and are we not of interest to each other?



Most of our days are spent wondering about ourselves, wondering and talking about others, loving judging, sharing, withholding, compromising, insisting, breathing deeply, and, exploding.  We are of intense interest to ourselves and to one another.

How much more are we of intense interest to God. Reflect today on God's interest in you.