My thoughts (Morgan Stewart):

This passage is the listing of the Ten Commandments, also called the Decalogue. Some of the laws are also found in legal codes of other ancient nations and are of universal application. If you were given the chance, what would be on your list of Ten Commandments for humanity?

Probably one of the most overlooked commandments today and one of my favorite scriptures is “remembering the Sabbath.”

During Jesus’ time, the Sabbath was an entire day (sundown Friday until sundown Saturday) set apart to rest. After his death, the day of celebration was moved to Sunday marking the day of his resurrection. Thus, Sunday still remains the most commonly celebrated Sabbath.

While today’s fast-paced world requires many to work on Sunday (including our church staff!), most of us have the opportunity to control our work load on the weekend.

So, just how special is Sunday at your house? Does your “Sabbath” celebration begin and end with church attendance? Is your day like any other, filled with endless laundry, shopping, and other chores? Are you teaching your children that Sundays are different? That’s what “holy” really means — different, or set apart from the ordinary.

Here are some suggestions for making Sundays special:

• Make it a time for family or friends. Have a “no TV” day and plan an outing/game together instead.
• Have couple/family devotion time.
• Ask all family members to plan ahead and rest from doing the usual (chores, yard work, etc.).
• Establish certain toys as “Sunday” toys and allow children to play with them only on Sunday.
• Spend some extra time in prayer or Bible study.

Thought for the day: The Sabbath is God’s antidote to burnout and a gift to us.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

My thoughts (Morgan Stewart):

This passage is the very words of Jesus Christ as he teaches his followers about freeing themselves from the worries of this world. Note the things Bible folks were presumably worrying about — food, clothes, income, financial security. Sound familiar?

As a recovering chronic worrier, I smiled when I read this on an outdoor sign: Worry is like a rocking chair — it keeps you occupied, but gets you no where.

These days, my two-fold antidote for worry is this:

1. Accept the things you cannot change, and
2. Pray about the rest.

From the stock market to our sexual orientation to a loved one’s serious illness, worrying about things we cannot change is futile. It was my close friend Pat who taught me this first principle. When her newborn son was born with a congenital heart defect requiring open-heart surgery, I asked, “Aren’t you worried about your baby’s health?” But she was adamant. “My son was not born as healthy as we would have liked, but worrying won’t change that. I’m using my energy to see that he gets the best surgeon and after-care available.” Now that’s the way to stay occupied!

Worry is often a character trait of those obsessed with control and my friend Sheila is typical. As layoff rumors circulated around the water cooler, she worried about losing her job at a local bank. When she expressed concern over the situation, I inquired, “How long have you been praying about this?” She answered, “My coworkers in the lunch room think layoffs will come after the first of the year…” Again, I asked, “How long have you been praying about this?” She continued, “My mom thinks I ought to go back to college but my spouse says…” This time, I squeezed her hand to get her attention, “How long have you been praying about this?” Now with her undivided attention, Sheila answered me honestly, “Well, I haven’t. I haven’t prayed at all. I’ve talked things over with my colleagues, my mom, my spouse and even my sisters — but have left God out of the equation totally!”

How sad and how common! Remember to make God your first — not last — resource in any crisis.

Thought for the day: Take Jesus’ advice to heart, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” What am I worrying about that could be given to God in prayer?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

My thoughts (Morgan Stewart):

As I considered all of the economic turmoil we’ve seen in the last couple years, my mind remembered the dark October in 1987 when the Dow Jones Average plummeted over 500 points in a single day — a record at that time.

It was a vintage Maalox moment: I was working as a securities trader in a large “trading pit” at a regional brokerage firm. As the market spiraled into a freefall, the news spread quickly and our switchboard lit up with phone calls from anxious customers. All the while, we tried to keep abreast of important news events affecting market prices.

The phones never stopped ringing as I fielded literally 50 calls an hour, both from other securities dealers and from our own brokers and customers. “I’ve lost everything! What does this mean? Will we have jobs tomorrow? Is the world as we know it coming to an end?” Even the most seasoned of traders and clients were bewildered and unsure of what else was to come.

Although we were rarely free to leave our workstations during market hours even on a normal day, this kind of chaos afforded each employee only one short bathroom break. When my turn finally came, I quickly removed my headset and sought the quiet retreat of the restroom.

It was the first minute of silence I had experienced all day. Although I was exhausted from the day’s excitement, I realized I wasn’t fearful one bit about my future. While my future remained as uncertain as anyone else’s, my faith felt unusually strong. I silently thanked God that my security was not anything the world might erase. I also asked God to use this crisis to cause my colleagues to reconsider the “security” afforded by wealth.

Thought for the day: In whom or what do I place my security? May our hearts always sing, “My hope is built on nothing less that Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

My thoughts (Morgan Stewart):

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

While it sounds simple there is a profound message contained within those ten words. Take a careful look at four words in this verse. Read slowly the phrase, “God is for us,” pausing a minute before you continue. Read it again, aloud. God is for us. Repeat the phrase four times, emphasizing each word.

God is for us.
God is for us.
God is for us.
God is for us.

God is for you. Your parents may have forgotten you, your siblings may be ashamed of you, your workplace may overlook you; but within reach of your prayers is the Maker of the oceans. God!

God is for you. Not “may be,” not “has been,” not “was,” not “would be,” but “God is.” God is for you. Today. At this hour. At this minute. God could not be closer than this second. God’s loyalty won’t increase if you are better or lessen if you are worse. God is for you.

God is for you. Turn to the sidelines; that’s God cheering your run. Listen past the finish line; that’s God applauding your steps. Too tired to continue? God’ll carry you. Too discouraged to fight? God’s picking you up. God is for you.

God is for you. If God had a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If God drove a car, your name would be on the bumper. If there’s a tree in heaven, God’s carved your name into the bark.

Thought for the day: God is for you. Knowing that, who is against you? Can your purpose be taken or your value diminished? No. You are protected because God is for you. Take heart!

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts on this passage (Morgan Stewart):

Sometimes, when I’m feeling whiny, I bemoan the difficulties I have to face at work. But this passage is a bracing “Snap out of it!” for me. My boss has never thrown spears at me, attempting to pin me to the wall! We see how David remains calm under fire and provides two important lessons for any working environment:

• David had the ability to work effectively with difficult people. Virtually every workplace has its share of challenging personalities: the chronic complainer, the blow-hard, the loafer, the thief, the gossip, etc. And even Jesus didn’t have it any different when he battled the cantankerous religious leaders and even his own doubting relatives and disciples. Still, getting along with difficult people is invaluable. Your biggest “Saul” today may become the very person who helps or blesses you tomorrow.
• David remembered who had sent him to work for King Saul. I once wondered what God could possibly have in mind by sending me to a particularly hostile workplace. It can be difficult — some times nearly impossible — to hear God’s voice amidst office politics, disgruntled bosses, water cooler gossip and unfair treatment.

Over lunch, a school teacher friend encouraged me by saying “You may be the only Jesus your office ever sees.” With that comment, my perspective and attitude changed. Although I still failed to fully understand the God-given reason for being there, I trusted God’s judgment. God was my true boss! I began to care for and even pray for my co-workers with a renewed zeal.

Colossians 3:23 is a favorite “workplace” scripture of mine. I placed it in my Rolodex card file under HELP and referred to it as often as necessary: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.”

Thought for the day: For those who love the Lord, no experience is ever wasted.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Morgan Stewart):

A school billboard caught my eye a couple weeks ago. It read: Have a good summer. See you August 10th! Where, oh where, did the summer go? How can school be back in session already? I’m shocked (nearly horrified!) to find that my summer, which held so much promise, is gone.

I find myself thinking of all the projects I have yet to tackle, and trips and outings I have yet to take. What’s happened? My intentions were so good back in May.

This common situation reminds me of the scripture “The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

Often, it’s the same way for many of us regarding our Christian walk. We mean well when we say “I’m getting back to church” but our absences continue. We resolve “I’m going to start giving more to God” but then an unexpected expense appears and nothing changes.

It seems there are always obstacles standing between us and a stronger faith. Satan uses many tools to tear us away from a closer walk with God. In the face of such temptation, we would do well to remember Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” After all, there’s no trial you — together with God — can’t handle.

Thought for the day: God, help me to understand that you are my heavenly partner and eternal source of help and strength. Through your strength, I can resist the temptation to distractions and focus on accomplishing all that you call me to do. Amen.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.