Posts with the category “weekly-collect-devotionals”

This little nugget of a prayer reminds us that the God who made us knows when we need comfort. Just like the disciples, we are often left gaping mouthed at circumstances, “How can this possibly work out, Lord? How can this be good or end well or bring you glory?” In God’s kindness, he assured the disciples that they wouldn’t be without a Helper. They would “receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (Acts 1:8) and be witnesses to neighbors close by and far off.   Read More

May that relational love that God first loved you with (ref. 1 John 4:19) enable you to live with your end in mind so you can do what you cannot do on your own - become a person of agape. And as the collect prayer says, may you “exceed all that we can desire” by abiding in His love.   Read More

This week we are praying for God to grant us the knowledge that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. We worship and fellowship together so that we may believe and know together.  Read More

Jesus is not a deity who makes impossible demands of his people from on high, distant and removed from the realities of worry and hardship. He is the Good Shepherd. I don’t know a ton about shepherds, but I do know that their job requires them to be with their sheep—walking the same terrain, battling the same elements, fending off the same enemies. The day-to-day life of the shepherd is intimately tied to that of the sheep. Indeed, the sheep cannot follow the shepherd if the shepherd doesn’t go there first! To me, that is a beautiful image of guidance and leadership that we get from Jesus’s role as our Good Shepherd.   Read More

As I read the Collect this week, I noticed our petition, “give us grace thankfully to receive his inestimable benefits” and realized that in the Easter season we enjoy that His celebrating heart and enduring joy do not run out like mine. His benefits cannot be contained even inside the biggest party– even if the whole world was one resounding ALLELUIA, His benefits would surpass it! So, we ask for grace to receive the benefits– to be filled up by His glory and beauty and steadfastness and grace and joy! And for what? We are filled up with His benefits so that we can “daily follow His footsteps.”  Read More

When Jesus speaks of Himself as the bread of life, He means that He is offering to sustain us, fill us up, support and nourish who we are and who God has made us to be.   Read More

If things around me are disordered, I am unable to rest. Something I've never considered prior to reading the collect for this week, is that the same is true of my heart. The request that our Heavenly Father will purify our disordered affections comes on the heels of acknowledging that our hearts are restless.  Read More

Christian living is a collaborative effort between God and His redeemed people. This isn’t a secret since every Christian experiences this daily. This isn’t a secret since every Christian experiences this daily.  Read More

When Jesus was tempted three times in the wilderness by Satan, his temptations were universal: to give in to his appetites, to take unnecessary chances, and to shortcut God’s plan for immediate satisfaction. These temptations assault each of us, but they show up in different ways according to each of our weaknesses. My appetites may be different from yours, but we’re each tempted to satisfy them in ways that are sinful.  Read More