The Upper Room Daily Reflections: Daily Words of Wisdom and Faith of The United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Friday, 19 January 2018 "For God’s Unfailing Grace"
Today’s Reflection:
GOD, WE GIVE YOU THANKS for the gracethat lies at the heart of our faith.
Even as we fall short in our response
to your love and your call, your grace still abounds.
We see your grace in the sunlight that warms the earth
and in the starts that light the sky.
We see it in the manger at Bethlehem
and in the cross of Calvary.
In your grace we find peace and healing
for troubled lives.
In your grace we see promise for justice and mercy in a troubled world.
As you envelop us, enliven us, and embrace us,
we celebrate you as the God of grace. Amen. (Mary Lou Redding, Prayers for Life’s Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments)
From Prayers for Life’s Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments, compiled and edited by Mary Lou Redding. Copyright © 2012 by Upper Room Books. All rights reserved. Used by permission. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question: Pray today’s prayer. GOD, WE GIVE YOU THANKS for the grace
that lies at the heart of our faith.
Even as we fall short in our response
to your love and your call, your grace still abounds.
We see your grace in the sunlight that warms the earth
and in the starts that light the sky.
We see it in the manger at Bethlehem
and in the cross of Calvary.
In your grace we find peace and healing
for troubled lives.
In your grace we see promise for justice and mercy in a troubled world.
As you envelop us, enliven us, and embrace us,
we celebrate you as the God of grace. Amen.
Today’s Scripture: Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” (Mark 1:14-15, NRSV)
This Week: Pray for compassion.
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Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
---In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
This week we remember: Anthony of Egypt (January 17).
Anthony of EgyptJanuary 17
When St. Anthony was twenty years old, his parents died and left him a sprawling estate and a younger sister to care for. This he did, until one Sunday he heard Matthew 19:21 spoken at Mass. Upon hearing the words "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me" (NRSV), Anthony decided to take the words of Jesus literally. He sold the estate and gave the money to the needy, and entrusted the care of his sister to a convent. He then went off to pursue this perfection.
Anthony moved to a hut outside of town to escape the temptations of city life, and to seek the solitude that was so important to his well being. When too many people began to visit him and seek his wisdom, he left his hut in the middle of the night and employed several Saracens to show him to an oasis in the middle of the desert, and there he remained until his death at age 105 in 356.
If St. Anthony had taken the Spiritual Types Test, he probably would have been a Mystic. Anthony is remembered on January 17.
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Lectionary Readings for Sunday 21 January 2018(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62:5-12
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20
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Lectionary Readings for Jonah 3:1 The word of Adonai came to Yonah a second time: 2 “Set out for the great city of Ninveh, and proclaim to it the message I will give you.” 3 So Yonah set out and went to Ninveh, as Adonai had said. Now Ninveh was such a large city that it took three days just to cross it. 4 Yonah began his entry into the city and had finished only his first day of proclaiming, ‘In forty days Ninveh will be overthrown,’ 5 when the people of Ninveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least., 10 When God saw by their deeds that they had turned from their evil way, he relented and did not bring on them the punishment he had threatened.
Psalm 62:5 (4) They only want to shake him from his height,
they take delight in lying —
with their mouths they bless,
but inwardly they curse. (Selah)
6 (5) My soul, wait in silence for God alone,
because my hope comes from him.
7 (6) He alone is my rock and salvation,
my stronghold; I won’t be moved.
8 (7) My safety and honor rest on God.
My strong rock and refuge are in God.
9 (8) Trust in him, people, at all times;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. (Selah)
10 (9) Ordinary folks are merely a breath
and important people a sham;
if you lay them on a balance-scale, they go up —
both together are lighter than nothing.
11 (10) Don’t put your trust in extortion,
don’t put false hopes in robbery;
even if wealth increases,
don’t set your heart on it.
12 (11) God has spoken once, I have heard it twice:
strength belongs to God.
1 Corinthians 7:29 What I am saying, brothers, is that there is not much time left: from now on a man with a wife should live as if he had none — 30 and those who are sad should live as if they weren’t, those who are happy as if they weren’t, 31 and those who deal in worldly affairs as if not engrossed in them — because the present scheme of things in this world won’t last much longer.
Mark 1:14 After Yochanan had been arrested, Yeshua came into the Galil proclaiming the Good News from God:
15 “The time has come,
God’s Kingdom is near!
Turn to God from your sins
and believe the Good News!”
16 As he walked beside Lake Kinneret, he saw Shim‘on and Andrew, Shim‘on’s brother, casting a net into the lake; for they were fishermen. 17 Yeshua said to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you into fishers for men!” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
19 Going on a little farther, he saw Ya‘akov Ben-Zavdai and Yochanan, his brother, in their boat, repairing their nets. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zavdai in the boat with the hired men and went after Yeshua.
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John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes: Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Verse 3
[3] So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.
Exceeding great — The greatest city of the known world at that day, it was then in its flourishing state greater than Babylon, whose compass was three hundred eighty-five furlongs, but Nineveh was in compass, four hundred and eighty. It is said, her walls were an hundred foot in height, her walls broad enough for three coaches to meet, and safely pass by each other; that it had fifteen hundred towers on its walls, each two hundred foot high, and one million, four hundred thousand men employed for eight years to build it.
Of three days journey — To walk round the walls, allowing twenty miles to each day's journey.
Verse 4
[4] And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
Shall be overthrown — The threat is express. But there was a reserve with God, on condition of repentance.
Verse 5
[5] So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
From the greatest — Great and small, rich and poor.
Psalm 62:5-12
Verse 9
[9] Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
Vanity — Vain, and helpless creatures.
A lie — They promise much, but generally deceive those who trust in them.
Verse 10
[10] Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
Vain — Feeding yourselves with vain hopes of felicity, from those riches which you take from others by violence.
Verse 11
[11] God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
Spoken — Frequently, both immediately as at Sinai, and by his holy prophets, from time to time.
That — That power is God's prerogative; and consequently all creatures, either against or without him, are poor impotent things.
Verse 12
[12] Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.
Therefore — God is almighty, therefore he can easily destroy all his enemies: he is also merciful, and therefore will pardon good mens failings.
Renderest — And this as he is obliged to do by his holy nature, so is he able to do it, being omnipotent, and willing to do it to the godly (which was the only thing that might be doubted, because of their manifold miscarriages) because he is merciful and gracious.
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Verse 29
[29] But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
But this I say, brethren — With great confidence. The time of our abode here is short. It plainly follows, that even they who have wives be as serious, zealous, active, dead to the world, as devoted to God, as holy in all manner of conversation, as if they had none - By so easy a transition does the apostle slide from every thing else to the one thing needful; and, forgetting whatever is temporal, is swallowed up in eternity.
Verse 30
[30] And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
And they that weep, as if they wept not — "Though sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." They that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not - Tempering their joy with godly fear.
They that buy, as if they possessed not — Knowing themselves to be only stewards, not proprietors.
Verse 31
[31] And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
And they that use this world, as not abusing it — Not seeking happiness in it, but in God: using every thing therein only in such a manner and degree as most tends to the knowledge and love of God. For the whole scheme and fashion of this world - This marrying, weeping, rejoicing, and all the rest, not only will pass, but now passeth away, is this moment flying off like a shadow.
Mark 1:14-20
Verse 14
[14] Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Matthew 4:12.
Verse 15
[15] And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
The time is fulfilled — The time of my kingdom, foretold by Daniel, expected by you, is fully come.
Verse 16
[16] Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
Matthew 4:18; Luke 5:1.
Verse 18
[18] And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.
Straightway leaving their nets, they followed him — From this time they forsook their employ, and constantly attended him. Happy they who follow Christ at the first call!
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Psalm 62:5 (4) They only want to shake him from his height,
they take delight in lying —
with their mouths they bless,
but inwardly they curse. (Selah)
6 (5) My soul, wait in silence for God alone,
because my hope comes from him.
7 (6) He alone is my rock and salvation,
my stronghold; I won’t be moved.
8 (7) My safety and honor rest on God.
My strong rock and refuge are in God.
9 (8) Trust in him, people, at all times;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us. (Selah)
10 (9) Ordinary folks are merely a breath
and important people a sham;
if you lay them on a balance-scale, they go up —
both together are lighter than nothing.
11 (10) Don’t put your trust in extortion,
don’t put false hopes in robbery;
even if wealth increases,
don’t set your heart on it.
12 (11) God has spoken once, I have heard it twice:
strength belongs to God.
1 Corinthians 7:29 What I am saying, brothers, is that there is not much time left: from now on a man with a wife should live as if he had none — 30 and those who are sad should live as if they weren’t, those who are happy as if they weren’t, 31 and those who deal in worldly affairs as if not engrossed in them — because the present scheme of things in this world won’t last much longer.
Mark 1:14 After Yochanan had been arrested, Yeshua came into the Galil proclaiming the Good News from God:
15 “The time has come,
God’s Kingdom is near!
Turn to God from your sins
and believe the Good News!”
16 As he walked beside Lake Kinneret, he saw Shim‘on and Andrew, Shim‘on’s brother, casting a net into the lake; for they were fishermen. 17 Yeshua said to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you into fishers for men!” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
19 Going on a little farther, he saw Ya‘akov Ben-Zavdai and Yochanan, his brother, in their boat, repairing their nets. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zavdai in the boat with the hired men and went after Yeshua.
---
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes: Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Verse 3
[3] So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.
Exceeding great — The greatest city of the known world at that day, it was then in its flourishing state greater than Babylon, whose compass was three hundred eighty-five furlongs, but Nineveh was in compass, four hundred and eighty. It is said, her walls were an hundred foot in height, her walls broad enough for three coaches to meet, and safely pass by each other; that it had fifteen hundred towers on its walls, each two hundred foot high, and one million, four hundred thousand men employed for eight years to build it.
Of three days journey — To walk round the walls, allowing twenty miles to each day's journey.
Verse 4
[4] And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
Shall be overthrown — The threat is express. But there was a reserve with God, on condition of repentance.
Verse 5
[5] So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
From the greatest — Great and small, rich and poor.
Psalm 62:5-12
Verse 9
[9] Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
Vanity — Vain, and helpless creatures.
A lie — They promise much, but generally deceive those who trust in them.
Verse 10
[10] Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.
Vain — Feeding yourselves with vain hopes of felicity, from those riches which you take from others by violence.
Verse 11
[11] God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.
Spoken — Frequently, both immediately as at Sinai, and by his holy prophets, from time to time.
That — That power is God's prerogative; and consequently all creatures, either against or without him, are poor impotent things.
Verse 12
[12] Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.
Therefore — God is almighty, therefore he can easily destroy all his enemies: he is also merciful, and therefore will pardon good mens failings.
Renderest — And this as he is obliged to do by his holy nature, so is he able to do it, being omnipotent, and willing to do it to the godly (which was the only thing that might be doubted, because of their manifold miscarriages) because he is merciful and gracious.
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Verse 29
[29] But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
But this I say, brethren — With great confidence. The time of our abode here is short. It plainly follows, that even they who have wives be as serious, zealous, active, dead to the world, as devoted to God, as holy in all manner of conversation, as if they had none - By so easy a transition does the apostle slide from every thing else to the one thing needful; and, forgetting whatever is temporal, is swallowed up in eternity.
Verse 30
[30] And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
And they that weep, as if they wept not — "Though sorrowful, yet always rejoicing." They that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not - Tempering their joy with godly fear.
They that buy, as if they possessed not — Knowing themselves to be only stewards, not proprietors.
Verse 31
[31] And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
And they that use this world, as not abusing it — Not seeking happiness in it, but in God: using every thing therein only in such a manner and degree as most tends to the knowledge and love of God. For the whole scheme and fashion of this world - This marrying, weeping, rejoicing, and all the rest, not only will pass, but now passeth away, is this moment flying off like a shadow.
Mark 1:14-20
Verse 14
[14] Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Matthew 4:12.
Verse 15
[15] And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
The time is fulfilled — The time of my kingdom, foretold by Daniel, expected by you, is fully come.
Verse 16
[16] Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
Matthew 4:18; Luke 5:1.
Verse 18
[18] And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.
Straightway leaving their nets, they followed him — From this time they forsook their employ, and constantly attended him. Happy they who follow Christ at the first call!
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