Monday and Tuesday Devotions

Monday July 2, 2007
Into the hovels of the poor into the dark streets where the homeless groan, God speaks: “I’ve had enough, I’m on my way to heal the ache in the heart of the wretched.” God’s words are pure words refined seven times in the fires of his wood-kiln, pure on earth as well as in heaven. God keep us safe from their lies, from the wicked who stalk us with lies, from the wicked who collect honors for their wonderful lies. Psalm 12:5-8

Morning Devotion
“If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us struggle together.” -Lily Watson
Q: As Christians are we here to help, or to struggle with the other person? Which choice is easier? Which choice is faithful?

Monday July 2, 2007
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. I Timothy 2: 1-2

Mid-Day Devotion
“Faith consists in the acceptance of doubts, the working through of them, rather than the repression of them.” –Madeline L’Engle
Q: We all have doubts about parts of our faith. It is ok! It’s normal! What are some of yours? What are some that others around you share? Offer them to God in a prayer.

Tuesday July 3, 2007
Thou hast turned my mourning into dancing. –Psalm 30:11

Morning Devotion
“There is no better symbol of communal life than the banquet.” -Martin Buber
Q: God calls us to a banquet of faith. But as we look around today we do not see a banquet, we see devastation. Can this mess be a banquet, can God’s be opening our eyes to something different and new? What do you already see yourself being opened up to on this trip that you have not yet expected?

Tuesday July 3, 2007
Mid-Day Devotion
So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves. …From the surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them. When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: "We are a long way out in the country, and it's very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper. Jesus said, "You do it. Fix supper for them." They replied, "Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?" But he was quite serious. "How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an inventory." That didn't take long. "Five," they said, "plus two fish." Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or a hundred—they looked like a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on the green grass! He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples in turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish. They all ate their fill. The disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. More than five thousand were at the supper. Mark 6:32-44

“It is not a simple thing to accept God’s love, because if we do, we must return love.” –Madeline L’Engle
Q: Who do you find it difficult to love? What work today are you finding it hard to do? Offer this to God in prayer.