Daily Devotions for JANUARY 2023

Someone is shouting in the desert,
“Prepare a road for the Lord, make a straight path for him to travel!”

Matthew 3 verse 3

During 2022 we were looking daily at the theme of GOOD NEWS as we journeyed with Paul through his letter to the ROMANS.

In 2023, we will be looking at TELLING OTHERS THE GOOD NEWS – with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

And pausing at our times of Midday Devotion to pray for others
in our church family, our city and our world.

We are all invited to listen for God’s voice and make our response as we journey together in our ‘rhythm of devotion’ in 2023.

These Devotions are but one way to feed on God’s Word in the morning, at midday, in the evening… to pray with Him continually through the day and even to share with others the treasures or hurdles you discover.
The Church website and Facebook page (even on a handy mobile) provide a fuller daily devotional page. However it all follows the pattern below which the information provided fits into, based on the Kirk’s origins of the Celtic and Northumbrian traditions which we started as a church family in 2015.

Morning
Reading and Meditation on the content and Prayer of response
Midday
Prayer – mostly for others
Evening
Verse(s) from the morning reading
Reflection and Prayer at the end of the day

A Prayer for the Month of JANUARY

Dear Jesus, to each other we have given our gifts of love
When we celebrated your birth.
But the wise men brought gifts
Showing Your Kingship,
The bitterness of life,
And the embalming in death.
Help us to remember that You came Purposefully
To exchange Your Life for ours.
Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your kingdom come
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory.
Now and for ever
Amen

Daily Devotions for Friday 30th December, 2022

Morning
Look Upward and Pray to hear and receive from Jesus

Reading : LUKE 2 verses 39 and 40

Meditation : take time and consider what happens here
The return to Nazareth.
What images or words stay with you?
Who do you know on a journey at this time?

And then Pray to this God of ours in response

Happy are those who have the God of Jacob to help them
and who depend on the LORD their God,
the Creator of heaven, earth, and sea,
and all that is in them.
He always keeps his promises;
He judges in favour of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry

And so we bring our morning prayers to you, our God Most High.
As we name others on a journey at this time
Amen – we pray together.

Midday
Pray God’s blessing on john and Lindsay and their family
Father God, hear our prayers and bless them real good we ask

Evening
Reading : read this passage again from LUKE 2 verses 39 and 40
Reflect on the words written here and pray in response to Father God

And so, O God
We bring our evening prayers to you
With thanksgiving
Trusting
Hoping
And asking for others at this time

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Daily Devotions for Thursday 29th December, 2022

Morning
Look Upward and Pray to hear and receive from Father God

Reading : LUKE 2 verses 36-38

Meditation : take time and consider these words this morning.
Anna.
Which words stay with you?
What is your response to God’s Word today?

Then pause to praise and pray to our faithful and merciful God

And so we bring our sacrifice of praise to you, O Faithful One
We believe
Help our unbelief
Make us faithful like Anna
And teach us your Kingdom timing we ask
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Midday
Pray God’s blessing on our Big Idea partners in Edinburgh
God of grace…hear our prayers and pour a blessing we ask on each and all

Evening
Reading : read these verses again from LUKE 2 verses 36-38
Reflect on the words and images – at the end of your day
and Pray with honest words in response to this God – our God

People will speak of your mighty deeds,
and I will proclaim your greatness.
They will tell about all your goodness
and sing about your kindness.
The LORD is loving and merciful,
slow to become angry and full of constant love.
He is good to everyone
and has compassion on all he made.

O LORD, hear our evening prayers
Forgive us our sins of this day
As we forgive those who have sinned against us – even today
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Tuesday Evening Prayer with Others

As we journey through this new week….. with God – together – you may want to revisit today’s Daily Devotions from LUKE chapter 2 verse 21– as we continue to consider the GOOD NEWS about Jesus through 2022 – on this Tuesday after CHRISTmas Day

We PAUSE with the Lord in prayer as the day closes

We REJOICE in the help and blessings He has given this particular Tuesday – to us and to others

We ASK for His presence, peace and strength – for ourselves and for others in our church family and our nation and in our world at this time

We YIELD – say Yes – to His Kingdom ways for tomorrow

Daily Devotions for Tuesday 27th December, 2022

Morning
Look Upward and Pray to hear and receive from Jesus, Saviour and Lord

Reading : LUKE 2 verse 21

Meditation : take time and consider this one verse this morning.
Mary and Joseph name him Jesus.
What does the name of Jesus mean to you?

Pray in response to what you have read
Taking time to pause and listen for God’s answer to you

As I thank you O God for sending Jesus

What a Friend we have in Jesus

I call to the LORD for help;
I plead with him.
I bring him all my complaints;
I tell him all my troubles.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Midday
Take time to listen for God to speak with you at this time of day
Ask, seek, knock….hear!
Father God…thank you.

Evening
Reading : read LUKE 2 verse 21 – in another version?
Reflect on the words…. and then Pray….to the LORD our God

As I thank you for sending Jesus
From heaven to earth

What a Friend we have in Jesus

I call to the LORD for help;
I plead with him.
I bring him all my complaints;
I tell him all my troubles.

In Jesus’ name.
Amen and Amen.

Evening Prayer with Others

As we step into a new week….. with God – together – you may want to revisit today’s Daily Devotions from LUKE chapter 2 verses 8-20– as we continue to consider the GOOD NEWS about Jesus through 2022 – on this Monday after CHRISTmas Day

We PAUSE with the Lord in prayer as the day closes

We REJOICE in the help and blessings He has given this particular Monday – to us and to others

We ASK for His presence, peace and strength – for ourselves and for others in our church family and our nation and in our world at this time

We YIELD – say Yes – to His Kingdom ways for tomorrow