Life

Destined for Adoption – Ephesians 1:3-14

/ Lil Smith / Leave a comment

Ephesians 1:3-14

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying close attention to the deep breath.
  • As you pay attention to the breath, remember the breath of life that has been given to you.
  • Allow this breath to permeate every inch of you.
  • Give thanks to God for the breath of life.
  • Consider the redemption and forgiveness for you given through the blood of Jesus Christ.
  • Give thanks to God for Christ and the gift of new life.
  • Consider what this inheritance means for you.
  • How do you live with this inheritance?
  • Do you hoard your inheritance or share it?
  • Do you appreciate your inheritance or take it for granted?
  • Do you stand up for your inheritance or do you deny it?
  • What is  God’s message for you in your inheritance?
  • Is there a call to action?
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, January 5, 2020, the Second Sunday after Christmas (Year A)

Jeremiah 31:7-14
Psalm 147:12-20
Ephesians 1:3-14
John 1:(1-9) 10-18

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings.  (c) 2019 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD

Rev. Dr. Lil Smith is a trained spiritual director, supervisor, and co-founder of Retreat House Spirituality Center in Richardson, TX.  Upon completion of her spiritual direction certification, Lil began Praying the Lectionary in 2011 as a spiritual practice for her morning prayer time.  Instead of reading about someone else’s experience of God, it was important for her to create a prayer practice that would encourage felt sense experience of the Holy emerging from within.  It dawned on her others might enjoy the practice, as well.  So she began to share them on this site.

As you experience the practice of Praying the Lectionary, adopt a loving, caring, and compassionate stance.  If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do.  Keep wrestling.  God is faithful to your journey.  Love and hope will emerge.  Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.

John 6:35, 41-51 – I am the bread of life

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John 6:35, 41-51

35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

41Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43Jesus answered them, “Do not complain among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying close attention to the deep breath.
  • What manna from the wilderness have you consumed?
  • Did this manna fill you?
  • For what did you still hunger?
  • How does the Bread of Life fill you completely?
  • Do a quick survey of your mind and body.
  • For what do you hunger?
  • How will Christ feed you?
  • What is God’s message for you?
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, August 12, 2018, the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
Psalm 130:1-8
Ephesians 4:25-5:2
John 6:35, 41-51

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. (c) 2018 Permission to use in not-for-profit settings The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD.

Ephesians 1:3-14 – The pledge of our inheritance

/ Lil Smith / Leave a comment

Ephesians 1:3-14

3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying close attention to the deep breath.
  • As you pay attention to the breath, remember the breath of life that has been given to you.
  • Allow this breath to permeate every inch of you.
  • Give thanks to God for the breath of life.
  • Consider the redemption and forgiveness for you given through the blood of Jesus Christ.
  • Give thanks to God for Christ and the gift of new life.
  • Consider what this inheritance means for you.
  • How do you live with this inheritance?
  • Do you hoard your inheritance or share it?
  • Do you appreciate your inheritance or take it for granted?
  • Do you stand up for your inheritance or do you deny it?
  • What is  God’s message for you in your inheritance?
  • Is there a call to action?
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, July 15, 2012, the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19
Psalm 24
Ephesians 1:3-14
Mark 6:14-29

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings (c) 2018 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith, DASD.

Psalm 48 – He will be our guide forever

/ Lil Smith / Leave a comment

Psalm 48

1Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, 2beautiful in elevation
is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north,
the city of the great King.
3Within its citadels God
has shown himself a sure defense.
4Then the kings assembled,
they came on together.
5As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;
they were in panic, they took to flight;
6trembling took hold of them there,
pains as of a woman in labor,
7as when an east wind shatters
the ships of Tarshish.
8As we have heard, so have we seen
in the city of the LORD of hosts,
in the city of our God,
which God establishes forever.
Selah
9We ponder your steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
10Your name, O God, like your praise,
reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with victory.
11Let Mount Zion be glad,
let the towns of Judah rejoice
because of your judgments.
12Walk about Zion, go all around it,
count its towers,
13consider well its ramparts;
go through its citadels,
that you may tell the next generation
14that this is God,
our God forever and ever.
He will be our guide forever.

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying close attention to the deep breath.
  • As you pay attention to your breath, allow God to guide you in your breath.
  • Let go of any thoughts or to-do list that might keep you from giving your full attention to God.
  • Continue to silence any voices and noise around you as you pay attention to your breath.
  • Let go of time.
  • Seek the guidance of God.
  • As you feel freedom from the world around you, seek guidance from God.
  • Where do you need guidance today?
  • Keep your focus on this one point.
  • Stay with your breath and listen for God’s guidance.
  • As you time in meditation ends, give thanks to God for this time.
  • As you go about your day, take time to stop and listen for God’s guidance.
  • Be open to people, places, experiences which might reveal God’s answer to you.
  • Be open to the unexpected.
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, July 8, 2018, the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
Psalm 48
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Mark 6:1-13

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings (c) 2018 The Rev. Dr. Lil Smith DASD.

1 John 5: Whoever has the Son has life

/ Lil Smith / Leave a comment

1 JOHN 5:9-13

9If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. 10Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.11And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.


  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying close attention to the deep breath.
  • As you breathe, inhale that which you believe.  
  • Allow the testimony in your heart to be freed.
  • Exhale that which is blocking the testimony in your heart.
  • Inhale freedom.
  • Exhale unfreedom.
  • Hear the words again, “Whoever has the Son has life.”
  • What life do you feel in your heart?
  • Allow this life that you have created freedom around grow.  
  • Where does this life in the Son want to grow?
  • What do you feel?
  • What do you hear?
  • What do you see?
  • What do you smell?
  • What do you taste?
  • Hold the space for growth.
  • What is God’s message for you?
  • At the end of the day, check back in with yourself.  What new growth did you experience today?
  • Give thanks to God for this time in freedom and prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

 

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, May 13, 2018, the Seventh Sunday of Easter Year B

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
Psalm 1:1-6
1 John 5:9-13
John 17:6-19

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings  (c) 2018 The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD.

Acts 4:5-12 – The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone

/ Lil Smith / Leave a comment

ACTS 4:5-12

5The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, 6with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, 10let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. 11This Jesus is 
     ‘the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; 
          it has become the cornerstone.’ 
12There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”

  • Light a candle to remember Christ’s presence with you.
  • Sit five to fifteen minutes in silent meditation paying attention to the deep breath.
  • Who is holding you prisoner today for something you have done in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth?
  • How long have you been imprisoned?
  • Do you need to spend more time there?  Or are you ready to be released?
  • To be released you must face the local rulers.
  • During an inquiry of local rulers, what will your response be?
  • What cornerstone will you draw upon?
  • What truth do you need to share with the local rulers?
  • What risk do you perceive?
  • What strength do you need to take this risk?
  • What is the consequence?
  • What is the reward?
  • What is God’s message for you?
  • Give thanks to God for this time in prayer and for any new insights you have received.
  • Share as you feel led in the reply box below.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Sunday, April 22, 2012, the Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year B)

Acts 4:5-12
Psalm 23:1-6
1 John 3:16-24
John 10:11-18

If you use these prayers in other groups, please give credit to author. Permission to use in not-for-profit settings (c) 2018 The Rev. Lil Smith, M.Div., DASD