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 January 3rd.

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 Genesis, chapter 3.

Genesis 3:6-10 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

This is the story of the fall from grace. Two common experiences that accompany us when we sin are shame and fear. In shame, we try to cover ourselves, try to make ourselves presentable, to pretend that everything is fine when really it is not. With fear, we hide. We hide from

ourselves, we hide from others, we hide from God. As you think over your life, where have you experienced shame from sin? Out of fear, how have you tried to hide from yourself, or others, or God?

When we sin, we sometimes think that God has left us, that he has withdrawn his presence from us. But God hadn’t left Adam and Eve. They had left him. He is still there in the Garden, lovingly searching for them. He called out, “Where are you?” As you hear the passage again, consider how God is present to you, even when you haven’t wanted to be present to him.

Genesis 3:6-10 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

Today, when you sin as we all do, can you remind yourself that God is seeking you? Can you bring your whole self into his presence, knowing that he covers your shame and forgives your sins?

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.

Today's worship song:

You're All I Need
Heaven & Earth Worship (Spotify)
Vineyard Columbus

Today is January 2nd.

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 John, chapter 1.

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).


The first followers of Jesus were seekers. Jesus didn’t call these first two disciples to follow him. Jesus turned around and Andrew and his friend were already following him. They must have been curious whether what was said of Jesus was true—that he was the Son of God. After spending the day with him they were convinced that he was the One. If you could spend a day with Jesus, what would you ask him? How do you think Jesus might respond to your question?

Jesus gave Simon a new name. He called him Peter, which means “rock.” Renaming is a way of saying, “I’ve given you a new identity. I have a purpose for you. As you hear the passage again, consider the new identity has God have given you. What name or word does Christ speak over you to redefine your purpose?

Andrew’s encounter with Jesus grew into a contagious faith. He went and told his brother all about it. As we close our time, consider something that has happened recently that you are thankful for. Can you make a commitment to share that with someone today?

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 - Draw me close to you - H & E

Today is January 1

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 Numbers, chapter 6.


The Lord said to Moses,  “Tell Aaron and his sons,‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites." Say to them: “The Lord bless you and keep you;  the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;  the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”


In the Old Testament, the act of priestly blessing was a sacred thing. A priest would stand above the people, stretch his arms over them, and speak the blessing of God over God’s people. The picture we hear in these words should call to mind favor, and blessing, and kindness. The Psalmist echos this lean when he wrote about God: “You INCLINED and heard my cry”. Consider for a moment, this first day of the new year, what it means that God’s blessing toward you is His own inclination to draw near to you? Can you quiet your heart, and turn your attention toward God to receive His presence this new year?
  
Listen again and pay attention to the words that the Lord gave Moses for Aaron. Words like: blessing, keeping, shining, graciousness, peace. As you listen to this short text, imagine yourself standing ‘under the blessing’ of God.
  
Many people start a new year with thoughts of resolutions: what is it that we can do for ourselves? Instead, consider entering this year asking God simply for the grace to remain under His blessing. We are, as the hymn goes, ‘prone to wander, prone to leave the one I love’. Can you, this new year, ask God for strength, faith, and conviction to simply remain under His grace? To be constant recipients and givers of His peace? As we end our time of prayer, I’d encourage you to pray and offer your obedience this year to the Lord, and ask for both his leadership as well as His blessing.

Music Credit:
"Shalom" - Vineyard Worship (YouTube)

Today is December 31st.
 
Hey friends, can we together take a moment to make some space to be thankful to all of the folks around Vineyard Columbus who helped co-create the Be Still devotional this year? 
 
To the production crew: Richard Smith, Drew Nichols, Abram Murphy, Logan Stone... and to Pastor Paul Cullen who selects the worship, AND to volunteer writer Emily Selvey AND to Marsha Martin who holds us all together with dates and recording and the managing of many projects: massive thanks! 
  
If Be Still has been a grace to you, please take a moment right now to rate us with five stars. The only reason we ask you to do this is that your ratings will help Be Still show up for others who are searching for daily devotionals. When you give Be Still five stars, the algorithms make it more visible for those who are looking – so it’s simply a way of making something that’s been a gift to you easier for others to find.  
    
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence, and pray: Come, Holy Spirit.  
 
May God’s peace and presence be to you in 2025. 

Today is December 30th.

Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. 

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 Titus, chapter 2, the MSG version.

  
11-14 God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation’s available for everyone! We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God-honoring life. This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. He offered himself as a sacrifice to free us from a dark, rebellious life into this good, pure life, making us a people he can be proud of, energetic in goodness. 
 

One of the fruits of Advent is that we are given birth to a new life. It’s not just that Christ is born. We are reborn! This new life is starting right now, and is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears. Reflect for a moment on the places where new life is growing in you right now. Where do see have joy, or peace, or love in your life?  

We think of repentance as a painful process of denying pleasures. Paul, in this passage invites us to think about repentance as embracing more of God’s new life in us. He is motivating us to repentance by reminding us that repentance actually leads to more life. He says, We’re being shown how to turn our backs on a godless, indulgent life, and how to take on a God-filled, God honoring life. Consider how turning away from indulgence might actually lead you to more life in Christ. 

As we close our time, take a moment and ask God for more of his life to replace the old places of sin and death in your life. Ask his life to fill you and move in you so that you may be free from your old dark life and energized into this new, good life in Christ.  

Behold… what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 

To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Amen. 

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 December 27.


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 Psalm 96.  
 

1 Sing to the Lord a new song; 
    sing to the Lord, all the earth. 
2 Sing to the Lord, praise his name; 
    proclaim his salvation day after day. 
3 Declare his glory among the nations, 
    his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 
4 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; 
    he is to be feared above all gods. 
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols, 
    but the Lord made the heavens. 
6 Splendor and majesty are before him; 
    strength and glory are in his sanctuary. 
7 Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, 
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; 
    bring an offering and come into his courts. 
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; 
    tremble before him, all the earth. 
10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” 
    The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; 
    he will judge the peoples with equity. 
11 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; 
    let the sea resound, and all that is in it. 
12 Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; 
    let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. 
13 Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, 
    he comes to judge the earth. 
He will judge the world in righteousness 
    and the peoples in his faithfulness. 
 

One of the ways to think of Advent is a baby being born after a long, arduous pregnancy. There have been bouts of morning sickness. There have been sleepless nights. There have been uncomfortable car rides with baby bearing down with each bump. There have been uneasy conversations with the doctor or midwife. There have been many long contractions and birthpains through the night. And then, this psalm. Like the first words out of a mother’s mouth after holding her new baby. Sing to the Lord a new song! Praise his name! Declare his glory! This Christmas week, consider the places in our world, or the people in your life, that are in birth pains, still waiting to sing this song. Pray for them.
 
Now, take a moment to consider places in your life where you are waiting to see God break in, places where you are in waiting.  

Finally, turn to give God praise for the places you’ve seen God’s goodness break in after a long and arduous wait. Over what can you declare, Let the heavens rejoice. Let the fields be jubilant. Let all creation rejoice! Think of something that God has brought to birth in your life that you are grateful for and thank God for that now.  

Behold… what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 

To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Amen. 

Today is December 26.
 
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 Isaiah, chapter 9. 
 

The people walking in darkness 
    have seen a great light; 
on those living in the land of deep darkness 
    a light has dawned. 
3 You have enlarged the nation 
    and increased their joy; 
they rejoice before you 
    as people rejoice at the harvest, 
as warriors rejoice 
    when dividing the plunder. 
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, 
    you have shattered 
the yoke that burdens them, 
    the bar across their shoulders, 
    the rod of their oppressor. 
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle 
    and every garment rolled in blood 
will be destined for burning, 
    will be fuel for the fire. 
6 For to us a child is born, 
    to us a son is given, 
    and the government will be on his shoulders. 
And he will be called 
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace 
    there will be no end. 
He will reign on David’s throne 
    and over his kingdom, 
establishing and upholding it 
    with justice and righteousness 
    from that time on and forever. 
The zeal of the Lord Almighty 
    will accomplish this. 
 

I’m so glad you have joined us for prayer today. As we begin, consider these names given to Christ: wonderful counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace. Is there a particular attribute that you want to contemplate today: God’s counsel? His might? That he is your good and gracious Father? That he can bring peace that passes understanding? Take a few moments to consider this with the Lord. 
 
Prince of Peace is what stands out to me today. So today, I will take time throughout my day to pray for God’s peace over those who are desperate for it. What do you feel drawn to Intercede for today? Take time right now to pray… 
 
The inbreaking of Christ into our world and our history…. which is why we sing Joy to the World, and why we pray: Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee. Our world needs a rest that cannot be achieved by anything other than the Prince of Peace himself. As we end our time of prayer today, pray over individuals you know who are still seeking the prince of peace. Pray for areas of our world that are desperate for peace.  

Behold… what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 

To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Amen. 

Today is December 24th in the final week of Advent.
 
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 Gospel of John, chapter 1.


9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 


Consider what it means for a child to have a healthy, stable attachment to the caregiver. This passage speaks to followers of Jesus as children. And chosen children. God himself has received us, and calls us His own 
 
This Christmas Eve, think about how God, Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, humbled himself, becoming ordinary, and subjecting himself to real humanity. All for the sake of drawing us near to Him. Pray, this evening, for those who do not know that they are loved by God. Pray for a revelation of God’s love to them. 
 
 
Come, thou long expected Jesus, 
born to set thy people free; 
from our fears and sins release us, 
let us find our rest in thee. 

Behold, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… 

In the name of the Father, and the son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.