Genesis 37:3–4,12–28
Matthew 21:33–43
Psalm 105:16–22

One of the first Bible stories I learned was that of Joseph and his coat of many colors. (Today’s portion of the psalm provides an excellent summary of the whole thing.) It was the summer of 1990 and I was at Camp Hammer, a Christian camp in the Santa Cruz mountains, with my friend Emily. Knowing that I did not come from a Christian household, Emily invited me to come to camp with her church for a week and this was the story that we studied with our counselors every morning in between swimming, doing arts and crafts, and playing camp-wide games.

The redeeming message of Joseph’s story is that God works in the worst of circumstances for good. Today’s passage from Genesis has Joseph beaten and sold into slavery by his jealous brothers; but later, Joseph ends up advising Pharaoh on how to handle an impending famine in Egypt. The brothers who sold him into slavery are forgiven and he ends up keeping them and his father Jacob alive as the famine rages in Israel, preserving the line of Abraham from which Jesus comes.

I gave my life to Jesus for the first time that summer and eventually committed fully almost five years later during my freshman year of high school. More than twenty-five years after hearing that story for the first time, God has worked amazing things in my life, bringing me through adversity, a dangerous pregnancy, and into a community and church that loves me and loves my son Daniel. God does truly work good in some hard circumstances!

God, thank you for working in even the worst moments in our lives and bringing us into better places. Amen.
-Jen McCabe

Jeremiah 17:5–10
Luke 16:19–31
Psalm 1

“Blessed are those who trust in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8

“They are like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; everything they do shall prosper.” Psalm 1:3

Both the Jeremiah & Psalms readings talk of trees planted by water, bearing fruit, & not withering. Our lives in God are like those trees. When we are planted by God’s water, our roots grow deeper in Him. Deep roots enable trees (and our lives) to stay green and continue to bear fruit. Those roots spread into areas that we have perhaps not recognized, areas where God wants us to move and prosper. I never imagined the career paths God provided in my life!

Jesus accomplished some of His greatest work through a group of men who were completely unqualified for their calling. I promise He can, and will, do the same through you. I encourage you today, with your spirit growing deeply in God, your eyes trained on Jesus, and your ears attentive to His call, to STOP, DROP, AND RUN…towards His calling! He will provide all you need!

Jesus, I am humbled that You consider me worthy to be used—in ways big and small—to accomplish Your will here on earth. Help me respond without hesitation whenever I perceive Your voice calling me into action. In Your powerful and equipping Name, I pray, Amen.
-Barbara Cheyney

Jeremiah 18:1–11,18–20
Matthew 20:17–28
Psalm 31:9–16

The potter in Jeremiah set out to make a well planned and executed vessel from clay on his potter’s wheel. The vessel that he created, however, was not the one he had so carefully planned for. He stopped his work, remolded the clay and started all over again to make a different vessel from the one he had planned on.

How often does this happen to us? Carefully made plans have a way of coming undone or even falling to pieces.

In 2012, I made a carefully planned move to Texas. After selling everything I owned; car, house, furniture, etc. I loaded up my few remaining possessions and drove to Waco. After only four months there, it became quite clear to me that this plan to live in Texas was not to be. The sale of my home fell through, I fell and dislocated a shoulder, I could not find employment, and nothing was working out as I had planned. God certainly knew what was best for me and I was very happy to return to my home in Washington and to start all over again.

I praise and thank you, Lord, for caring for me and directing me to the right path and place for my life. Amen.
-Sister Katherine, OSB

Isaiah 1:2-4, 16-20
Matthew 23:1-12
Psalm 50:7-15, 22-24

“Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless. ‘Come. Sit down. Let’s argue this out.’ This is God’s message.” -Isaiah 1:16b-1:18 (Peterson)

“But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father – the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.” Matthew 23.8-10 (NRSV)

“For you have one teacher, and you are all students.” We are all in this together. God is our teacher. On the face of it, that’s simple and straightforward. But our world tends to tell us another story: we should be tough and independent and work things out for ourselves and make up our own minds. But God has a different take on this.

In Isaiah, we’re told to argue it out – with God! How? In Matthew Jesus tells us how: work, talk, and pray with our fellow students. But there’s more. Is this too hard if no one present is the expert? Jesus says otherwise: “For when two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:20) And there’s our teacher, our expert, our guide. When we argue it out with God in community, God is on our side, speaking to us through Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, through each other. We students can hear God when we listen to each other with Jesus present. God is with us.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened. -Ephesians 1:18 (NIV)
-Tom Worrell

Daniel 9:3–10
Luke 6:27–38
Psalm 79:1–9

Late in my career, the principal of the school where I worked wrongly accused me of undermining his authority. Although I maintained my innocence, the superintendent and board of directors gave me a “choice”: sign an affidavit of my guilt or leave the position. I would not live a lie, and so was forced to leave a job that I was passionate about.

It was a very dark time of my life. I had been blindsided with the accusation and sank into a deep depression. I found myself angry and betrayed. It was as if my integrity—my very personhood—had been attacked. A counselor diagnosed me with post-traumatic stress disorder and ordered therapy.

Even though I had been taught since childhood that we are called to forgive even those who have not asked for forgiveness, I could not forgive the man who brought this false charge against me and changed the trajectory of my life. Every year, I looked deep into my heart for the power to forgive and came up short. I resigned myself to the fact that I might not be able to forgive in this lifetime.

Then, one morning, more than eight years later, I woke up with a new perspective. It was as if the burden of the last eight years was gone, dissolved on its own in its own time. I was free of the weight that had plagued me for so many years. Unconsciously, I had forgiven.

In Luke’s passage, we read Jesus’ admonishment to love our enemies, do good to them, bless them. Jesus instructs us to turn the other cheek, give our shirt to one who has stolen our coat, swell the coffers of beggars. He asks us to do unto others as we would hope others would do unto us. And He urges us to forgive.

Help us to forgive, Lord, as you have forgiven us. Amen.
-Ashley Sweeney

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
Romans 4:13-25
Mark 8:31-38
Psalm 22:22-30

These passages in Genesis spell out the covenant which God has made with those by faith and grace who truly believe and humbly serve Him. It tells of Abraham and Sarah and their advanced age, but through their righteousness, God gave them a son and a nation.

It seems to me we have a duty, no matter how long it takes, to stand up and have the truth be told. The news this week has been full of the stories of the US Women’s Gymnastics Team and the horrors they have suffered for years. For years and years, no one was willing to listen to them. But finally, they have been able to stand together and call for the righteousness they have deserved for so long. Just as Sarah and Abraham begat a nation, those brave women will see the necessary changes come forth from their actions, countless generations will profit, and the nation will listen and remember.

Thus, we need to remember it is by faith and grace that we need to serve and believe in the Lord. He has promised a covenant to us and we need to be ready, no matter how long it takes.

Let us go forth and love and serve our Father and be ready for His covenant in our lives.

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
-Sally Rode