February 17, 2021
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Connect: Connect in conversation with others in your household or community. What was a high point of your day? What was a low point? What do you know that you are sure you are right about? What might be the perspective of someone who disagrees with you? February 17, 2021 Why might they believe what they do? What could you learn Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 from someone with different ideas and ideologies? For the littles: Why do you think we wear ashes on Ash Use this resource at home to guide your household’s daily devotions. Wednesday? (Ask an adult if you’re not sure.) Pray: Light a candle. Open your devotion with prayer. Holy God, you desire your children to seek you in humble Bless: Close your devotion with a blessing. devotion. Give us repentant hearts as we begin this Lenten May God receive your repentance and offer forgiveness. Amen. journey, and return us to the source of our lives: your son Jesus, our Lord. Amen. Do: By acting on what we learn, we make God’s word come alive. Do the following activity this week. Read the key verse from Sunday’s reading. Read: Draw a cross on the back of your hand with permanent marker. “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before Each time you see it, consider something you have said or done you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, recently that you could have said or done differently for a better so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they outcome. Spend time reflecting on your behaviors and choices. have received their reward.” (Matthew 6:2) Go Deeper: Go to bit.ly/daily-devotions-rcl for the Re�lect: Reflect on the scripture summary. daily readings! Jesus encouraged his followers to display their devotion for God Wednesday, Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 51:1-17; 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 privately—not to diminish their adoration, but to refocus the Thursday, Psalm 25:1-10; Daniel 9:1-14; 1 John 1:3-10 energy on God. Friday, Psalm 25:1-10; Daniel 9:15-25a; 2 Timothy 4:1-5 Saturday, Psalm 25:1-10; Psalm 32; Matthew 9:2-13 ™ New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Copyright © 2020 RCL Worship Resources by Clergy Stuff . Used with Permission. Find more at RCLWorshipResources.com. Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Connect: Connect in conversation with others in your household or community. What was a high point of your day? What was a low point? Do you plan and prepare, or do you tend to jump right into action? How does your preference serve you? How does it February 21, 2021 hinder you? Mark 1:9-15 Whose voice has the most influence on your life? Who is most influenced by your voice? Is what you’re saying helpful or Use this resource at home to guide your household’s daily devotions. harmful? For the littles: How do you best solve a problem, by thinking Pray: Light a candle. Open your devotion with prayer. about it, talking about it, or doing something about it? Faithful God, your son dedicated himself and his life to teaching, healing, and sharing your love with the world. Give us Bless: Close your devotion with a blessing. his willingness to shed all that hinders us from serving, for the May God bless your soul-searching. Amen. sake of Jesus our Lord. Amen. Do: By acting on what we learn, we make God’s word Read: Read the key verse from Sunday’s reading. come alive. Do the following activity this week. In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was If you are a doer, take time this week to think. If you are a baptized by John in the Jordan. (Mark 1:9) planner, take time to act. Re�lect: Reflect on the scripture summary. Go Deeper: Go to bit.ly/daily-devotions-rcl for the daily readings! Jesus’ baptism and his time in the wilderness prepared him for the 3 years of public, controversial, and often polarizing Monday, Psalm 77; Job 4:1-21; Ephesians 2:1-10 ministry that was coming. Tuesday, Psalm 77; Job 5:8-27; 1 Peter 3:8-18a Wednesday, Psalm 77; Proverbs 30:1-9; Matthew 4:1-11 Thursday, Psalm 22:23-31; Genesis 15:1-6, 12-18; Romans 3:21-31 Friday, Psalm 22:23-31; Genesis 16:1-6; Romans 4:1-12 Saturday, Psalm 22:23-31; Genesis 16:7-15; Mark 8:27-30 ™ New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Copyright © 2020 RCL Worship Resources by Clergy Stuff . Used with Permission. Find more at RCLWorshipResources.com. Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Connect: Connect in conversation with others in your household or community. What was a high point of your day? What was a low point? What makes you uncomfortable? Do you gravitate toward or away from the uncomfortable? How does that serve you? How February 28, 2021 does it hinder you? Mark 8:31-38 or Mark 9:2-9 What command of Jesus is the hardest to follow? Why? Use this resource at home to guide your household’s daily devotions. For the littles: Who is stronger: God or the devil? (Or: what is stronger: good or evil?) Pray: Light a candle. Open your devotion with prayer. Dearest Lord, you gave up everything for us, even your own life. Bless: Close your devotion with a blessing. Show us what you’re asking us to sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel, and give us the strength to desire only you. Amen. May God make you uncomfortable. Amen. Do: By acting on what we learn, we make God’s word Read: Read the key verse from Sunday’s reading. come alive. Do the following activity this week. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and Research what different cultures believe about evil or the devil. said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not What makes most sense to you? on divine things but on human things.” (Mark 8:33) Go Deeper: Go to bit.ly/daily-devotions-rcl for the Reflect on the scripture summary. Re�lect: daily readings! Jesus’ words were difficult to hear and often offensive. He Monday, Psalm 105:1-11, 37-45; Genesis 21:1-7; Hebrews 1:8-12 challenged people to let go of the lives they had to gain lives Tuesday, Psalm 105:1-11, 37-45; Genesis 22:1-19; Hebrews 11:1-3, 13-19 worth having. Wednesday, Psalm 105:1-11, 37-45; Jeremiah 30:12-22; John 12:36-43 Thursday, Psalm 19; Exodus 19:1-9a; 1 Peter 2:4-10 Friday, Psalm 19; Exodus 19:9b-15; Acts 7:30-40 Saturday, Psalm 19; Exodus 19:16-25; Mark 9:2-8 ™ New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Copyright © 2020 RCL Worship Resources by Clergy Stuff . Used with Permission. Find more at RCLWorshipResources.com. Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Connect: Connect in conversation with others in your household or community. What was a high point of your day? What was a low point? What questionable behaviors or customs does your community practice that are so embedded in your community, they have March 7, 2021 not been examined for a long time? How could you begin to John 2:13-22 effect change? What happened after Jesus’ fit of anger? Did people change? Use this resource at home to guide your household’s daily devotions. Why or why not? For the littles: What makes you angry? How do you calm down? Pray: Light a candle. Open your devotion with prayer. Merciful Lord, you are at once full of mercy and righteousness. Rouse us from complaisance and light your fire within us again, Bless: Close your devotion with a blessing. for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. May God shake up your status quo. Amen. Read: Read the key verses from Sunday’s reading. Do: By acting on what we learn, we make God’s word In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, come alive. Do the following activity this week. and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip Clean your house. Get rid of things that are bogging you down. of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep Lighten your load. Simplify. and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. (John 2:14-15) Go Deeper: Go to bit.ly/daily-devotions-rcl for the daily readings! Re�lect: Reflect on the scripture summary. Monday, Psalm 84; 1 Kings 6:1-4, 21-22; 1 Corinthians 3:10-23 Cattle, sheep, doves—all for sale. Just another day at the Tuesday, Psalm 84; 2 Chronicles 29:1-11, 16-19; Hebrews 9:23-28 temple. But today, money changers had better be on their Wednesday, Psalm 84; Ezra 6:1-16; Mark 11:15-19 guard.