The Word for This Week

Sunday:

Therefore, there is no no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)

Lord Jesus:

In the same way an airplane flies by the law of aerodynamics overcoming the law of gravity, may our spirits escape the condemnation of sin to sour in the freedom Jesus gives. Loose our life from the moorings of mundane mediocrity to be lifted into your presence, alive, really alive, liberated from any threat of failure or abandonment or reproach, for you hold us secure in your grace. Amen.

Monday:

Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:5-6)

Lord Jesus:

I shall by necessity be living much of today in the flesh; driving safely, deciding what's for lunch, complaining about the heat, waiting for the doctor to call. But I pray you: in the death-driven drudgery of the daily grind, set my mind on Jesus. Keep my true focus on the life of the Spirit you have implanted by your grace. Let me know that you are my life and peace, the bedrock of my eternal identity. Sanctify me this day through the redeeming of the routine, by your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Tuesday:

That evening at sundown they brought to Jesus all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. (Mark 1:32-24)

Lord Jesus:

We crowd your door, peering in at sick and helpless folk who have ventured from the safety of the crowd to come to you one by one. What has drawn us to this spectacle? Curiosity, craven selfishness, a cynic's need to be healed of doubt. Something stirs deep within and pushes me to you, pulling me away from the door post to which I have clung for supposed safety. I want to protest and at the same time explain how I got this way, but it's all coming out like crazy talk until you reach out your hand and hush my storm-tossed soul saying, "Peace, be still." Thank you, Lord. Amen.

Wednesday:

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:7-11

Lord Jesus:

Thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit that you sent to indwell us. By The Spirit's prodding and praising we know that we belong to you. Because we care about pleasing you, we have confidence that you are working your will to transform our behavior and motivations from flesh-power to spirit-power. Teach us the freedom we have in you to say no to our ever-demanding Self. Help us rise above the aches and pains of the body, the disappointments and desires of the hostile mind, to thrill to your Spirit's working of eternal life in us here and now. To the Father be all praise and glory; to Jesus be all thanks and devotion; and to the Holy Spirit be all our devotion and surrender. Amen.

Thursday:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" (Roman s 8:14-15)

Abba Father:

In your agony in Gethsemane, you prayed as we do now, invoking you as Dadda - Father: intimate and reverent, imminent and transcendent, familiar and fantastic. We only know you because you have claimed us as your own in Jesus. Through His grace alone you have redeemed us from slavery to sonship, and for such love we are left speechless before the majesty that is your Person. It is no wonder we turn to prayer-books to express ourselves in your ineffable presence. But teach us to draw closer to you in daily unceasing prayer, knowing that even the grandest of our words sound as baby-talk to you, while "the groanings of our spirit too deep for words" resonate through Heaven as perfect praise. Amen.

Friday:

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:16-17)

Abba Father:

Thank you that we are not accidents of nature nor the products of protoplasmic evolution; that we are not dust in the wind nor nameless nomads of the human genome; that we are neither Jew or Gentile, black nor white, slave nor free, male nor female; but that we are Christ's, heirs with him to a resurrected body healed of suffering and ignorance. Thank you that you are making us children of God. Amen