Today is February 24.
 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.   
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”     
    
Today’s reading is from the Book of Genesis, chapter 33.    
   

Jacob looked up and there was Esau, coming with his four hundred men; so he divided the children among Leah, Rachel and the two female servants. 2 He put the female servants and their children in front, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph in the rear. 3 He himself went on ahead and bowed down to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. 
  
4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.   
   

Today, we witness a powerful moment of reconciliation between Jacob and Esau. Despite their past conflicts and Jacob's fear of Esau's anger, Esau runs to embrace his brother with love and forgiveness. This story reminds us of the importance of forgiveness and the healing it can bring to our relationships. Reflect on a time when you experienced reconciliation with someone. How did it impact your relationship and your heart? 
 
Jacob's act of bowing down to Esau seven times shows his humility and desire for peace. It highlights the importance of humility in mending broken relationships. As you listen to the story again, consider areas in your life where you might need to approach someone with humility and seek reconciliation. How can you take the first step towards healing a strained relationship?  
   
Today, take a step towards reconciliation with someone you may have had a conflict with. It could be a simple gesture of kindness, an apology, or reaching out to start a conversation. Pray for the courage and humility to seek peace and forgiveness, and trust that God will guide you in this process.

This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.

Today is February 21st

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from Psalm 118:5-14

"5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place.
6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. 10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 11 They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation."

The Psalmist is pouring his heart out to God. He feels hard pressed, surrounded, pushed back, and about to fail. He also has seen the Lord answer him in those places... and he writes “the Lord helped me.” Where is it that you feel overwhelmed, as though you were surrounded by a swarm of bees?

Where do you need the Lord’s help today?

The psalmist is honest about both sides of the coin: he feels hard pressed, he cries to the Lord... and also, the Lord answers, and brings the psalmist into a spacious place. As you hear the passage read again… listen to the rhythm of personal complaint, and God’s answer. Does your own spiritual life ever follow this rhythm?

"5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. 6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. 10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 11 They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation."

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord…” Think about the things that you take refuge in. Maybe it’s your savings or retirement account, or maybe a trusted friend, or a perhaps you take refuge in something feels protective but is actually harmful—maybe eating or drinking too much. Or maybe isolating from others feels like a safe refuge, but you still feel deep longing for connection. What would it look like for you today to surrender the things you trust in, for God’s refuge? Take a moment now and tell God that you want him to be your refuge in the storm.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Credit:
Your Love - Vineyard Worship Deaturing Tim Brown (YouTube)

Today is February 20th.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew 8:5-13

"5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment."

The centurion was a military man, a man with power and authority. Roman centurions had a reputation for meting out harsh punishment. The Roman historian Tacitus tells a story of a centurion who had been given the nickname "Cedo Alteram", which basically means: "Fetch Me Another"… because he punished those under his service so harshly that he often needed to replace them. So consider this: the centurion came to Jesus and did two remarkable things: first, he asked for help. Second, he showed empathy with his suffering servant. Does this surprise you? Ask God for insight into the centurion: what was going on in this encounter withJesus that allowed such a man in such a hardened role to demonstrate humility and compassion?

We often hear the centurion praised because of His faith in Christ to heal his servant. As you hear the passage read again… consider how his faith in Christ must have transformed the centurion himself... and healed not just the servant, but perhaps his own hardened heart as well.

"5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment."

The centurion was part of a culture that valued brute strength, authority, and power above all. Humility was a despised weakness. But Christ made it a paramount value, transforming our whole understanding of how God’s kingdom works. Invite God to speak to you about how you exercise power and authority in your own life and relationships. Ask God to transform any hardness or harshness in you, into the virtues of humility and empathy, just like the centurion demonstrated.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Credit:
Surrender - Vineyard Worship (YouTube)

Today is February 19.
 
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.    
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”     
    
Today’s reading is from the gospel of Luke, chapter 11.    
   

37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. 
  
39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. 
  
42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. 
  
43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces. 
  
44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.” 
   
  
To summarize this scripture, Jesus is calling out the reality that talk is cheap, and that the interior is way more important to God than the exterior. The Pharisee was surprised that Jesus didn’t wash his hand. Notice here that the text does not tell us that he said anything to Jesus about it. He was just surprised. Somehow, supernaturally, Jesus must've sensed judgment coming from this Pharisee because he responded in a way that was addressing judgment and not handwashing. Not only that he addressed the silliness of paying so much attention to the surface, when everything beneath the surface can be corrupt. In Jesus's word… You can wash the outside of a cup, but if the inside is filled with mold and mess… It's still unclean. In the same way we can look really great on the outside… And have some pretty messed up internal realities. As you come to prayer today, think about your inside and your outside. Think about your secret self, or your private self… And the public persona that you walk around showing. How are those two selves to one another? 
 
Listen to the scripture again and pay attention to the intensity with which Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees. In the last line of our text, he says "Woe to you because you were like unmarked Graves, which people walk over without knowing it". That's a picture of being dead on the inside. Pay attention to how it makes you feel as you listen to the text. 
   
In particular, Jesus says to these guys that while they give a 10th of all their herbs and spices… They are not generous to the poor. And they neglect mercy and justice. They do everything on the outside to look right, but they're actual behavior and the state of their heart isn't clean before the Lord, as we end our time of prayer today, take some time to reflect on the state of your own private self. Ask the Lord to help you continually become transformed, not just exteriorly… But in the very core of your being, into the likeness of Christ.

Today is February 18.
 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.    
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”     
    
Today’s reading is from the Book of Ezra, chapter 1.    
   

1 In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: 
  
2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: 
  
“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. 4 And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’” 
  
5 Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. 6 All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings. 
  
7 Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.  
  
 

In Ezra, we see how God moves the heart of King Cyrus to fulfill His divine plan. Cyrus wasn’t an Israelite King; he was Persian. This reminds us that God can use anyone, even those who do not know Him, to accomplish His purposes. It encourages us to trust in God's sovereignty and His ability to work through unexpected people and circumstances. Consider a time in your life when God used an unlikely person or situation to bless you or guide you. How did that experience strengthen your faith? 
 
The willingness of the people to support the rebuilding of the temple with their resources is a powerful example of communal faith and generosity. It challenges us to consider how we can contribute to God's work today. It’s countercultural to give your time and money and energy to the work of building God’s kingdom. It says here, “everyone whose heart God had move” participated. As you hear the passage again, consider a time that God has moved your heart in the past, or, how do you sense him moving you now to invest in building his kingdom?  
 
Today, take a step to support God's work through your local church community. It could be serving in a ministry, or giving cheerfully, or simply offering your skills to help someone in need. Pray for guidance on how you can best use your resources to serve others and glorify God.

Today is February 17th

May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from the book of Genesis chapter 47.

"1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”
“Your servants are shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please l
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you,6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 10 Then Jacob blessed[b] Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children."

The story of Joseph is long and full of family drama including deceit, pain, jealousy, disappointment, and finally... after a long time...redemption. Think about your own family situation. Is there family drama? Or perhaps you wish you had some family drama, because you aren’t connected to family and feel alone. Take a moment to bring your feelings about your family situation to God

As you hear the passage read again… pay attention to Jacob, Joseph’s father. He tells Pharaoh “my years have been difficult”. Jacob had watched his children struggle, and watched them fight, and had probably experienced disappointment as a result. Perhaps Jacob wondered what he could have done differently... Can you identify with that sentiment?

"1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.
3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”
“Your servants are shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”
5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you,6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed[a] Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children."

This passage ends with Joseph forgiving and providing for his family, even after they had caused Joseph great pain. Joseph didn’t respond out of anger to his family’s faithlessness, but he responded out of God’s faithfulness. As we end our time of prayer, what is God’s wisdom to you for your own family situation? Ask God for grace to response in the ways that he is leading you.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Credit:
Take Me With You - Vineyard Worship/Samuel Lane (YouTube)

This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced.

1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.

Today is February 14th

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”

Today’s reading is from Psalm 108.

"My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. 2 Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. 3 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
6 Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered."

The psalmist writes that the love of God is higher than the heavens, and that his faithfulness reaches to the skies. He’s painting a picture of the eternal and immeasurable nature of God’s love and faithfulness. It is so hard for us to fathom such love and faithfulness... All we have to compare it to is our own versions of these two: and our own version of love and faithfulness are so limited and so temperamental. Our own love disappoints, and human faithfulness is insufficient. Have you forgotten how immeasurable God’s love is for you? Consider the last time that you felt a tangible sense of God’s love for you.

As you hear the passage read again… take note that the writer asks to be saved and helped. Even in the midst of being loved by a faithful God, there are times that we need help, times when we need to be saved or rescued... Where do you need help today? Ask God for His help.

"My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. 2 Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. 3 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.
6 Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered."

Every day, there are so many things to remember: appointments, deadlines, projects, taking medicine, setting out the garbage... and sometimes our minds get so full of those sorts of things, that we forget the most important thing to remember: “For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

Remember that truth through your day. And perhaps remind someone else of it, as well.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Music Credit:
When We Call Your Name - Vineyard Soul (YouTube)

Today is February 13th.
 
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. 
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”  
 
Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew, 3:1-5 .

 
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”

John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.
 

John the Baptist spent his ministry in the wilderness, preaching repentance and pointing people to Jesus. He seemed strange to his contemporaries, just like he seems strange to us. The word ‘repentance’ also seems strange to our modern ears. For some, that word calls to mind stereotypes of angry religious preachers. For others, it seems irrelevant. For others, it creates feelings of shame. What does the word ‘repentance’ bring to your mind? How does it make you feel?
 
The Greek word that repentance is metanoia. It implies a drastic reorientation of mind and heart… a turning point in someone’s experience of reality that changes everything. As you hear the passage read again… consider that John is inviting his listeners to enter a radical new understanding of life, of meaning, and of ultimate reality. Ask yourself, What is it you need to turn away from in order to turn toward God’s new reality for you today? Listen to John’s call to you…
 
Repentance is a word that should be filled with a sense of encounter, power, and meaning. It reminds us that there is purpose and direction to our life, and that we were made for so much more than we often realize. Repentance does imply that we turn away from sin… but what is even more important is what we are turning to face, and to encounter: God, Father, Son, and Spirit. As we end our time of prayer today, imagine yourself turning toward God, and ask Him again to reorient you to His presence.
 
Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Music - Kyrie Eleison - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)