Daily Office - Discovering the Rhythm of Sabbath

*Daily Office - Discovering the Rhythm of Sabbath

1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)

2) Scripture Reading—Luke 8:11-15

 This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

3) Devotional

 Awareness of the love of God and responding to it is at the heart of our lives.

Every moment and every event of every man’s life on earth plants something in his soul. For just as the wind carries thousands of winged seeds, so each moment brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that come to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of men. Most of these unnumbered seeds perish and are lost, because men are not prepared to receive them: for such seeds as these cannot spring up anywhere except in the good soil of freedom, spontaneity and love.

This is no new idea. Christ in the parable of the sower long ago told us that “the seed is the word of God.” We often think this applies only to the word of the Gospel as formally preached in the churches on Sundays. But every expression of the will of God is in some sense a “word” of God and therefore a “seed” of new life. The ever-changing reality in the midst of which we live should awaken us to the possibility of an uninterrupted dialogue with God.

"We must learn to realize that the love of God seeks us in every situation, and seeks our good.” - Thomas Merton

4) Question to Consider Pause to consider your day. What seeds from God might be coming to you that you want to be sure not to miss?

5) Prayer Lord, I praise you that your love seeks my good in any and every situation. Forgive me for the seeds that I squander. Soften my heart to surrender to your will in and through me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)

*from "Begin the Journey with The Daily Office" by Pete Scazzero

Daily Office Day 4 - Fast with Purpose...to express concern for the work of God

*Fast with Purpose…to express concern for the work of God

1 ) Silence, stillness, and centering before God (2min)

2) Scripture Reading – Nehemiah 1:1-11 Click to Read

3) Devotional Just as a parent might fast and pray out of concern for the work of God in the life of a child, so we may fast and pray because they feel a burden for the work of God in a broader scope. One might feel compelled to fast and pray for the work of God in a place that has experienced tragedy, disappointment, or apparent defeat. This was the purpose for Nehemiah’s fast when he heard that despite the return of many Jewish exiles to Jerusalem, the city wall had no wall to defend it. After his fast, Nehemiah then went to work to do something tangible and public to strengthen this work of God.

A devoted believer in this rhythm of fasting, David Brainerd’s concerns for the work of God frequently found expression in fasting and prayer. In his journal entry for June 14, 1742, he demonstrated his concern for the work he believed God had called him to do.

I set apart this day for secret fasting and prayer, to entreat God to direct and bless me with regard to the great work I have in view, of preaching the gospel…God enabled me to wrestle ardently in intercession for absent friends…The Lord visited me marvelously in prayer; I think my soul never was in such an agony before.  I felt no restraint, for the treasures of divine grace were opened to me. I wrestled for absent friends, for the ingathering of souls, for multitudes of poor souls, and for many that I thought were the children of God, personally, in many distant places.

Although, we will not fast continually, the Lord may at least may occasionally give us a concern for His work so great that our normal concern for food or other things we fast from will seem secondary in comparison. 

4) Questions to Consider

Can you think of any place of God’s work that has experienced tragedy, disappointment, or apparent defeat? Do you find yourself in a similar situation? How is God leading you to serve or to pray in the work He is doing?

5) Prayer

Lord Jesus, I know You are working in me. Thank you for loving me. I want to be right with you, to be close to you, and to know you. Help me to be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit and guide my hand, my path, and my prayers in what You are doing. I love you. In Your Name. Amen.

*portions of today’s Daily Office have been taken from “Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life” by Donald S. Whitney