Consider the Birds
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
SUNDAY, June 16
Ezekiel 17:22-24
Outside the window of my study stands a great Chinese elm tree. Many kinds of birds find shade therein, for my wife, Darien, feeds them and offers them a bath. Rosy-faced lovebird’s colors are bright and varied, with a red face, green wings, and blue body. The great-tailed grackle is jet-black until the sun strikes its feathers and it becomes a beautiful midnight blue.
One day Darien stepped out the door and observed a grackle using his large beak to hold a lovebird under water in the bath. It seemed to her as in the ways of the world, and she saved the small lovebird.
The sacred text says that in God’s kingdom every kind of bird will find shade, and that there will be peace, even between the lion and the lamb. We may not expect birds to love those who are not like them, but such is my prayer for us and for Christ’s church.
O God my King, help me to love all people as you do, even if they are not like me. Amen.
PRAYER FOCUS: GRATITUDE FOR THE FATHER FIGURES IN OUR LIFE
Do That Again
MONDAY, June 17
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Samuel was discouraged. He had obeyed God and made Saul king, but Saul had failed. I can imagine Samuel thinking, “OK, that didn’t work. I won’t do that again!” But God wouldn’t let his prophet remain discouraged. He wanted him to do that again. This time the stakes were higher. Samuel would be risking his life!
Does God really call his children to risk their lives in his service?
My friend Art lived with his family in the Middle East. When his children wanted to go outside and play, their mother had to ask first, “Is the guard outside?” In the face of such danger, why did they choose to live there? Love. His neighbors had not heard anything about God’s kingdom or his king. As we seek God’s direction for our lives, let us beware of faulty criteria for considering the options. God might call us to overcome discouragement or to a life-risking assignment.
God, I am at your service. Fill me with your love and give me courage to follow you wherever you lead. Amen.
The Day of Trouble
TUESDAY, June 18
Psalm 20
Would you rather have a trouble-free life or know the God who is with you in your troubles?
Since a trouble-free life isn’t an option in this world, it’s not really a choice. The psalmist says on that day, some will recall their chariot’s horsepower. Bigger. Stronger. Faster. “I can beat this.”
Others remember the name of the Lord our God. The day of trouble can elicit humility. Are we more confident in our personal horsepower or the power of God?
My friend Daniel Waheli was imprisoned for sharing Christ in a predominantly Muslim country. In Lessons Learned in the Lion’s Den: Imprisoned for Sharing Jesus, he wrote, “Although the time in prison was exceedingly difficult, I experienced a kind of intimacy with Jesus that I had never previously known.” How much is that worth? Daniel didn’t like the day of trouble, but he liked how Jesus was exalted in that day.
God, teach me to rejoice in the fame of your name above all else. Amen.
PRAYER FOCUS: FOR WISDOM IN PLACES OF POWER
Two Times a Day
WEDNESDAY, June 19
Psalm 92:1-9
God reigns. He never forgets that. We, however, need to be reminded. At least twice a day. Declare his steadfast love in the morning, and his faithfulness at night. To whom shall I make this declaration?
Two brothers in South Asia were estranged. Evil had the upper hand. But one of them met a missionary, who introduced him to the King of kings. They decided to go back to his home to tell the man’s family this good news. Meanwhile the older brother at home in the village had a dream. His brother and a white man would bring a book. “Read it,” said the man clad in white in the dream. The next morning, the missionary and the younger brother nervously knocked at the gate to the family compound. The older brother opened the door. They held their breath. “Brother! Come in!” he said gladly. He told them of his dream and wanted to see the book.
The rest of the story is in the second half of this psalm. Please come back tomorrow.
O Lord, you are exalted forever. Amen.
Like the Wild Ox
THURSDAY, June 20
Psalm 92:10-15
Two brothers were very low in the hierarchy of the tribe. The missionary and his friend showed the older brother the Book. It says, “Love your enemies.” That thought had never entered the mind of anyone in the whole tribe. To some, it sounded better than the tit-for-tat killing that had been going on for centuries. They entrusted themselves to Jesus. Even the chief became a Christ-follower. He elevated the brothers to a high status in the tribe because they had brought this good news.
Then the chief was kidnapped. “We have to go to war to get our chief back!” cried some. But the brothers said, “No, we will do this Jesus’s way. We’ll pray.” They prayed. And their chief was released. Many more entrusted themselves to Jesus. And so started a movement of people toward Jesus that continues to this day. It started with an obedient man who believed that God reigns.
Father, raise up women and men who proclaim you from our midst. AMEN.
PRAYER FOCUS: FOR OUR ENEMIES
Seeds and Weeds
FRIDAY, June 21
Mark 4:26-34
Our front yard is “landscaped” with gravel. It’s a big yard, so it’s a lot of rocks. We built raised beds above the rocks for growing vegetables. We put seeds and water in the boxes, but plants grow all over the yard. I call those weeds. My wife calls it food. We had more lettuce growing among the rocks than in the box. Some seeds must have gotten out.
The kingdom of God is like that. It’s like seeds that grow into something to bless all peoples. Our job is to get the seed out of our box. God causes the growth. Every culture on earth grows both good plants and weeds. Some have not yet had the seed of the kingdom implanted. The seeds of righteousness, joy, and peace are not there.
Father, your kingdom is not ours. Help us to get the news of it out of our box. Amen.
Living for Jesus
SATURDAY, June 22
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
What does it mean to “live for Jesus”? It means I know the love of Christ, and that Jesus died for me. Wait. Read that again.
Jesus died for ALL. Christians. Muslims. Hindus. Buddhists. Atheists. Me. You. His love urges me beyond me and my kind. The question is not about economic status or skin color or gender or political or religious affiliation. The question is, “Are you in Christ?” If so, we have fellowship with the Father. If not, we are urged to be reconciled to God.
Our son is compelled by the love of God to carry good news to Muslims. He went to places people say you cannot go. He told me, “Everyone says there is no hope here.” That is why he cannot be dissuaded. He has experienced the hope of Christ and will find a way to share it with others. Love finds a way.
Lord Jesus, I want to live for you. Help me not to hoard your hope. Amen.
PRAYER FOCUS: JUSTICE FOR ALL PEOPLE
