Morning Prayer
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
Inspiration
On other occasions, Jesus used this phrase "with what measure you measure it shall be measured to you" to mean we should not judge others falsely or treat others over-harshly and expect that not to come back on our own heads. But here, he seems to use this phrase to mean: listen diligently because the more attentive and eager you are to learn, the more you measure to yourself of God's Word that you hear, the more you will abound in it.
Prayer
Teach us to be good listeners when we read or hear you Word, Lord. Let us not take it for granted or treat it as an unimportant, common thing. Let us eagerly gather to ourselves all the knowledge of your Word that we can manage. And the more we progress, the more you will give; but those who neglect it can lose even that little bit that they have. Let us keep learning more of your Word and applying it ever more to our hearts and lives. Amen.
Night Prayer
The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
Inspiration
When a king rules with fairness and justice, his kingdom will flourish. If the same king accepts gifts or bribes, his kingdom will fall. We've all observed a person in a leadership position who acted wrongfully. Perhaps a boss did not discipline employees fairly, or a political leader accepted kickbacks for legislation decisions. These corrupt actions lead to their demise. Scripture advises leaders to maintain justice with fair decision-making. As leaders, we must reflect on the mercy and grace God shows to us and lead others in the same fashion.
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for coaching us in our leadership endeavors. We have faith in Your Words and will lead Your people accordingly. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Devotion
The Widow of Naim
Frances Taylor
This story of Jesus' raising the son of the widow of Naim gives us some information that lets us know just how important it was for this widow. At that time, women had no way to earn a living. They were property of their parents until they became property of their husbands, and actually moved into the home of the husband. Now that this widow's son had died, she had no one to take care of her. The compassion that Jesus showed meant life to that widow. I'm sure the leaders weren't too happy that the power of God to raise someone from the dead rested in Jesus. There must also have been those who were saying, "Why her and not me?" We all will die and we will all lose someone we love including those of us who have and will lose children. We can easily read this passage and question. It can be difficult to understand God's plan for us, even though we keep trying. It is better to concentrate on the positive than the negative. A priest I once knew lost ...
