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A Different Set of Rules
At this writing, my only son turned five years old last week. He is a handsome, Read More
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Michael Downey | Read 1 Peter 2:19-25
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Sign Up TodayDonegal is the northwestern-most county in Ireland. People from other parts of the country speak of Donegal as the hinterland, the wilds. It is the financially poorest of the twenty-six counties in the Republic of Ireland. But Donegal is rich in sheep.
One afternoon when we were children, my younger...
My Shepherd, I cannot do it alone. You are not far. Draw near, stay close, especially when the hills are rugged, the waters forbidding, and the darkness of night descends. Amen.
The reading from Acts picks up the themes of mutual love and fellowship from last week’s readings and records that the display of these qualities captured the attention of the people in Jerusalem. When the church displays these qualities today, they still attract people to the Lord. The psalm and First Peter are linked by the theme of suffering. In Psalm 23, David is confident that God will stay with him even through the darkest valley. Peter encourages his audience to walk through that same valley, strengthened by the knowledge that God will never abandon them and that they are following the example of Christ. In John, Jesus declares that he is the way to safety for God’s sheep, so we should listen to his voice alone.
Read Acts 2:42-47. How do you see Good Time and Bad Time coexisting in your life or in your community?
Read Psalm 23. How do this psalm’s joys and comforts change when you consider the suffering of the psalmist in Psalm 22?
Read 1 Peter 2:19-25. When you have been caught in a struggle, how have your actions helped or worsened your situation?
Read John 10:1-10. How have you or someone you know attempted to enter God’s abundance by stealth? What does it mean for you to rectify this and enter through the gate?
Respond by posting a prayer.
"Thank you for the creative teams [of The Upper Room] who are working together to share the power of prayer around the world. You have collaborated with everyone working from our homes to share the gifts of hope, love, grace, and peace." (Written in response to The Upper Room COVID-19 response efforts). View Jaqui's video contribution to the initiative, helping us create space and time for God in these anxious times.
