Daily Scripture:
Micah 6:1 So listen now to what Adonai says:
“Stand up and state your case to the mountains,
let the hills hear what you have to say.”
2 Listen, mountains, to Adonai’s case;
also you enduring rocks that support the earth!
Adonai has a case against his people;
he wants to argue it out with Isra’el:
3 “My people, what have I done to you?
How have I wearied you? Answer me!
4 I brought you up from the land of Egypt.
I redeemed you from a life of slavery.
I sent Moshe, Aharon
and Miryam to lead you.
5 My people, just remember what Balak
the king of Mo’av had planned,
what Bil‘am the son of B‘or answered him,
[and what happened] between Sheetim and Gilgal —
so that you will understand
the saving deeds of Adonai.”
6 “With what can I come before Adonai
to bow down before God on high?
Should I come before him with burnt offerings?
with calves in their first year?
7 Would Adonai take delight in thousands of rams
with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Could I give my firstborn to pay for my crimes,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”
8 Human being, you have already been told
what is good, what Adonai demands of you —
no more than to act justly, love grace
and walk in purity with your God.
Prayer Tip:This week in the GPS guide, we are going to be exploring the mission Christ has for us as his followers. Looking at these things can make it seem like it is all about ACTION – seeking justice and mercy, caring for those who need our care, extended Jesus’ work into the world. Where does prayer fit into all this action?
To begin with, prayer is a foundation for our relationship with God, and before we head out to take on the world, we need to know for sure that we are connected to God’s will and doing what God wants us to do in the way God would have us do it. John Wesley wrote, “I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it.” That is a great way to look at the actions we want to take in response to God’s call on our lives.
One way to do this is to make sure all our actions are “surrounded in prayer.” This means praying in preparation for taking any action, praying while we act and serve, and then praying for those we care for after the activity is gone and before we engage with them again. It could look something like this:
You see an opportunity in the eNews, and days later you are still thinking about it. So, you sign up to help others. Let’s say you are going to serve on a Faithwork Saturday by serving lunch at a facility downtown that offers a warm meal to those living on the street.
Every day leading up to Saturday, you pray, “Lord, show me how to be your hands and feet and arms of love and care to the people I will meet on Saturday. Help me to see their hearts as well as their faces and offer your love along with the food you will provide.”
On Saturday morning, on the way to Faithwork, you pray, “Jesus, let this time be all about you and your love for these people. Help me to bless them today and come to know them, not just see their need.”
As you serve the men, women, and children who come through the line for lunch, you look each in the eye and silently offer a prayer to the God who knows what is going on in their lives and their hearts.
After the day is over, you find a quiet space and spend some time in prayer examining the day. What was easy about your time serving others? What was hard? What made you laugh and smile? What made you angry? Did you see injustice or suffering? Where did you see God’s hand in the work you did and the time you spent in action? What does God want you to take away from this experience – what should your next action be?
Spend some time in silence, just sitting with God and listening. End your prayer time in praise and thanksgiving for all God has done in your life and for allowing you to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.
That is where prayer fits into the activities we pursue in Jesus name, as the surrounding framework that keeps us focused on God’s will for our service.[Jennifer Creager, Prayer Ministry]
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The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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