APRIL 29, 2023

 God, give us grace to accept with serenity

the things that cannot be changed,

Courage to change the things

which should be changed,

and the Wisdom to distinguish

the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,

Taking, as Jesus did,

This sinful world as it is,

Not as I would have it,

Trusting that You will make all things right,

If I surrender to Your will,

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,

And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.

- Reinhold Niebuhr

2 SAMUEL 21-22

31“As for God, his way is perfect:

The Lord’s word is flawless;

he shields all who take refuge in him.

32For who is God besides the Lord?

And who is the Rock except our God?

33It is God who arms me with strength^h

and keeps my way secure.

34He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;

he causes me to stand on the heights.

35He trains my hands for battle;

my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36You make your saving help my shield;

your help has madeⁱ me great.

37You provide a broad path for my feet,

so that my ankles do not give way.(22:31-37)

LUKE 22:39-46

39Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.^c

45When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46“Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

JOURNAL 

David is nearing his last days...Jesus is also in his last evening. 

Greatness is not about titles or awards or position. Greatness is found in serving and living a life of action dedicated in obedience to God. It is trusting in him fully and never being content to rest in the spoils of success or the despair of failure. It goes back to living in the moment and fully trusting God in that moment. 

Here Jesus is...moments before being taken captive and he is crying out to God...asking if there is another way. He knows the outcome but he sees so much left to do and the lack of power and competency from his disciples.  The crucifixion has not happened yet...the resurrection, the conversion of Saul, the missionary journeys, the worldwide spread of Christianity. None of that has happened...so it all comes down to an anguished prayer in the middle of the night. Jesus obeys and paves the way for our redemption. Ultimately he loves us...in that moment, minutes from arrest he sees our rebellion, our sin, our selfishness, our anger, hurt and rage and instead of destroying us he chooses to save us. 

13You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^a ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^b

GALATIANS 5:13-14