Rest is good. We’re taking a break from producing content over the summer. Enjoy this previously produced pattern and meditation.
With all the noise in the world, do you hear the voice of God? Your calendar tells you what to do, but do you remember who you are? Being comes before doing. This is a call to put first things first. Return to the Lord with this daily pattern of prayer and devotion. Set aside this time as a sanctuary. Find a space free of distraction and follow this pattern.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3) O Lord, my poverty is the place where you meet me with grace. My spirit finds all I need in you. Amen.
Word: Matthew 13:31-32
The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.
Meditation
When you go outside at night and look up at the stars, you can count 1, 2, 3, 4. If you’re in the country away from city lights, you see hundreds. Astronomers say that about 2,000 stars are visible to the naked eye. But we know that there are billions of stars, just in our Milky Way Galaxy. They are unseen, but they are there.
Right now, there is an unseen revolution. It’s not coming by Trump or Biden. China, Russia, and the European Union are just a backdrop. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is at hand.” We’ve talked about what the KOG is: the reign and rule of Jesus, the King. Wherever he is up to something, doing his work, there is his Kingdom. Here’s the surprise: This revolution is like the stars. It’s mostly unseen. You see a fraction of what God is up to. It’s under the radar. You will see a lot of faces on TV this week, and hear so many voices. Don’t forget that Jesus Christ is King, always working, saving, and redeeming.
Prayer for Rest
· For physical, mental, and emotional health.
· For times of joy, delight, and leisure.
· For a Sabbath day free from work, tasks, and stress.
· For a holy time of worship.
Closing Prayer
Lord, your kingdom comes even when we cannot see it. You taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come,” and you answer that prayer every day. Reign and rule among us, especially where sin, death, and the devil run rampant. Rule in our hearts and bring the Day of full restoration. Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen.