Alive Now

Discovering and Defining

Beth Richardson — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:45:40 +0000

Wednesday, May 16. Read “Passions and Desires” (p. 19) and remember your thoughts from Monday and Tuesday.

Is your response to following Jesus more like watered trees or rigorous discipleship?

Words from The Word: They cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. -Acts 1:26, NIV

This Week…

Lectionary Texts:

Audio Lectio: Hear and pray the words from John 17:6-10.

Pray for: the people and countries of Kenya and Tanzania.

Spiritual Tools: Journey alongside the Clearness Committee with the practice of Making Decisions.

Quote:

GOD KNOWS US and calls us by name. We are not strangers or aliens to God. We are each and all God’s beloved. We have as our lover the Creator and Master of all that exists. The One who calls us beloved is also the one who know us so intimately and well that even the number of hairs on our head is known.

-Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job
A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God

From pp. 95-96 of A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God by Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job. Copyright © 2003 by Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission of Upper Room Books.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, as I await your coming, fill me with both stillness and action. Amen.

Art Credit: Millard Sheets – Word of Life mural, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

Sanctified in Truth

Beth Richardson — Tue, 15 May 2012 07:45:41 +0000

Tuesday, May 15. Read John 17:6-19 aloud. What does this prayer have to say to you as you seek to be a disciple of Christ today?

What is the prayer of your heart?

Words from The Word: This is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. -1 John 5:11, NRSV

This Week…

Lectionary Texts:

Audio Lectio: Hear and pray the words from John 17:6-10.

Pray for: the people and countries of Kenya and Tanzania.

Spiritual Tools: Journey alongside the Clearness Committee with the practice of Making Decisions.

Quote:

GOD KNOWS US and calls us by name. We are not strangers or aliens to God. We are each and all God’s beloved. We have as our lover the Creator and Master of all that exists. The One who calls us beloved is also the one who know us so intimately and well that even the number of hairs on our head is known.

-Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job
A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God

Prayer: Holy Spirit, as I await your coming, fill me with both stillness and action. Amen.

Art Credit: Millard Sheets – Word of Life mural, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

Glory to God

Beth Richardson — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:45:39 +0000

Monday, May 14. In Psalm 1 those who delight in the law of the Lord are compared to trees planted by streams of water. What kind of tree would you be?

How would you show glory to God?

Words from The Word: Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not . . . join those who have no use for God. Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord. -Psalm 1:1-2, GNT

This Week…

Lectionary Texts:

Audio Lectio: Hear and pray the words from John 17:6-10.

Pray for: the people and countries of Kenya and Tanzania.

Spiritual Tools: Journey alongside the Clearness Committee with the practice of Making Decisions.

Quote:

GOD KNOWS US and calls us by name. We are not strangers or aliens to God. We are each and all God’s beloved. We have as our lover the Creator and Master of all that exists. The One who calls us beloved is also the one who know us so intimately and well that even the number of hairs on our head is known.

-Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job
A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God

Prayer: Holy Spirit, as I await your coming, fill me with both stillness and action. Amen.

Art Credit: Millard Sheets – Word of Life mural, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

Making Decisions

Beth Richardson — Mon, 14 May 2012 06:00:31 +0000

Making decisions in life can be a challenge. The Christian community can be a source of helping you hear God’s voice in your ordinary or difficult decisions. One spiritual discipline that helps with discernment is from the Quaker tradition. It’s called a Clearness Committee.

The Quaker Clearness Committee is a small group that is called together to assist a person who is seeking the Holy Spirit’s direction. In this process of discernment, the participants listen for God who is speaking through each person present. If the participants are hearing the Spirit’s leadings, there is a common direction that is discerned. As the leadings begin to coalesce around a certain direction, participants can have more confidence that it is a direction that leads us deeper into God’s will.

You can use the more extended process described in the Going Deeper description of the Clearness Committee. Or try a shortened process with no more than 3-4 people. Form a Clearness Committee with your friends, at your workplace, or within a small group at church.

Going Deeper: The Clearness Committee

Ready to Try?

Photo Credit: John Foxx / Stockbyte / ThinkStock

Mothers of the Faith

Beth Richardson — Sun, 13 May 2012 07:45:46 +0000

Sunday, May 13. Mother’s Day. Sixth Sunday of Easter. Remember your mother or mothers of the faith. Consider the women who taught or modeled for you seeking God’s call.

How have strong women influenced your faith?

Words from The Word: Jesus said, “You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last.” -John 15:16, NJB

This Week…

Lectionary Texts:

Audio Lectio: Pray the words of John 15:9-15 with us this week.

Pray for: the people and countries of Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda.

Spiritual Tools: Revisit The Examen as a powerful tool for discerning the call of God in your life.

Quote:

Gracious Lord, who called your church to witness that you were in Christ reconciling all people to yourself: gather all of your children around your table for the gospel feast and shape me in such a way by your Spirit that your invitation might be extended to all through me. Amen.

-Paul Wesley Chilcote
A Life-Shaping Prayer: 52 Meditations in the Wesleyan Spirit

Prayer: Lord God, transform me into the crispest of apples, the juiciest of peaches or the sweetest of berries. Use my fruitiness for you. Amen.

Art Credit: Lyre (Golden Gate Park), from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

Abide in My Love

Beth Richardson — Sat, 12 May 2012 07:45:02 +0000

Saturday, May 12. In both John 15:9-17 and 1 John 5:1-6 we are told to follow the commandments of Jesus.

Do you think of God’s call as a command or as an invitation? Why?

Words from The Word: Who defeats the world? Isn’t it the one who believes that Jesus is God’s Son? -1 John 5:5, CEB

This Week…

Lectionary Texts:

Audio Lectio: Pray the words of John 15:9-15 with us this week.

Pray for: the people and countries of Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda.

Spiritual Tools: Revisit The Examen as a powerful tool for discerning the call of God in your life.

Quote:

Gracious Lord, who called your church to witness that you were in Christ reconciling all people to yourself: gather all of your children around your table for the gospel feast and shape me in such a way by your Spirit that your invitation might be extended to all through me. Amen.

-Paul Wesley Chilcote
A Life-Shaping Prayer: 52 Meditations in the Wesleyan Spirit

Prayer: Lord God, transform me into the crispest of apples, the juiciest of peaches or the sweetest of berries. Use my fruitiness for you. Amen.

Art Credit: Lyre (Golden Gate Park), from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.

Sing a New Song!

Beth Richardson — Fri, 11 May 2012 07:45:59 +0000

Friday, May 11. Read Psalm 98. Write a song or poem about your sense of God’s movement in your life.

Share your creation with our community.

Words from The Word: Jesus said, “My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you. The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them.” -John 15:12-13, GNT

This Week…

Lectionary Texts:

Audio Lectio: Pray the words of John 15:9-15 with us this week.

Pray for: the people and countries of Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda.

Spiritual Tools: Revisit The Examen as a powerful tool for discerning the call of God in your life.

Quote:

Gracious Lord, who called your church to witness that you were in Christ reconciling all people to yourself: gather all of your children around your table for the gospel feast and shape me in such a way by your Spirit that your invitation might be extended to all through me. Amen.

-Paul Wesley Chilcote
A Life-Shaping Prayer: 52 Meditations in the Wesleyan Spirit

Prayer: Lord God, transform me into the crispest of apples, the juiciest of peaches or the sweetest of berries. Use my fruitiness for you. Amen.

Art Credit: Lyre (Golden Gate Park), from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.