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 5:1-2
“Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying . . .”
Meditation
Have you ever gone to a place and the longer you’re there, the more you sound like you’re from that place? You start talking like a local. You pick up the accent. You become like those around you.
Here’s the point: Your environment has the power to change you. The voices around you influence and form you.
Think about these questions: What voices do you listen to most? Who is forming you? Who is shaping you?
Your pastors want you to be formed in the ways of the Kingdom of God more than the ways of the world. We want you to listen to Jesus more than Fox News or CNN. More to Jesus than to FB, Insta, or TikTok. We want you to follow Christ more than you follow a candidate. We want you to be more influenced by God’s Word than by Apple, Google, and Netflix.
Matthew notes that Jesus “saw the crowds.” He sees you too. Matthew goes on: “he opened his mouth and taught them.” Listen to him. His words will challenge and change you.
Challenge for the week: Memorize the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:3-12.
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
O Lord, dispel all rival voices that seek my allegiance. Attune my ears only to you. My heart and mind are open to your Word. Amen.