Morning Prayer
Luke 8: 40 – 56
Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. Then a man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother. Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.
Reflection
Jesus, help me cultivate this awareness of your power in me, like some kind of divine battery. Help me to get charged up through your love and presence and give me grace to see people and situations as you see them so that your grace and power can be released when someone suffering asks for help.
Jesus was so motivated to answer every question, to meet every need brought to him and as such modelled not only our Abba’s willingness but also the potential we his disciples have. Set us free of all that binds and limits us that we too may walk in your love, grace and power!
Noon Day Prayers Question
Do you desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to be given the grace to move out as his Spirit leads? If so ask and it will be given you.
Heavenly Father, dearest Abba, your chosen son Jesus told us that you long to give us your Holy Spirit. We also know that Jesus first gave his disciples a measure of the Holy Spirit and then later they were completely overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as they sat and prayed for your Holy Spirit to come on them. Give us an additional measure of your Spirit, that we might come alive to the possibilities you have for us. We surrender ourselves to you. Come Holy Spirit.
Evening Prayer
Luke 9: 1 – 17
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey – no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.
Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised from the dead, others that Elijah had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life. But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.
When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish – unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” (About five thousand men were there.)
But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Reflection
More than enough to go around – living in the kin-dom is living in a kin-dom of plenty, where everyone is more than satisfied and there is lots left over to share. Sounds like a church supper, right? This is a very cool chapter in the development of Jesus’ disciples as now they have been sent out with authority to cure diseases and drive out all demons. Jesus is now even more of a superstar than before, so much so that Herod wants to see him. Oh to be one of the disciples back then, walking around with his eyes, his authority and setting people free of their demons and diseases!
But when they are back together, the eyes of the Twelve are still shuttered when it comes to the possibilities and riches of the kingdom. Imagine thinking that the women would come unprepared for a day of listening to Jesus. It is just the men in their patriarchal assemblage, the men staying together while the women and children are off somewhere else, who are clueless to the resources gathered within Jesus’ kin-dom – all of Abba’s children there with him that day. So when he has everyone sit down and breaks bread, do the fish and loaves multiply, or do the women simply start sharing of what they have in the spirit of generosity so natural to working and poor people? It does not matter. What matters is that Jesus knew there was enough, just like he knew the wind and waves would obey him and everyone was fed. Oh, to see with Jesus’ eyes!
So stop and think about some area of your life that seems overwhelming, that you do not even know where to start – just like the Twelve when it came to feed 5,000 men and their families. Stop and ask Jesus for his eyes to see what seems so overwhelming to you… sit with this for a bit… let his Spirit guide you… miracles happen everyday!