Growing Deeply

Sunday Sermon

a daily scripture guide

Week of June 27 July 2

MONDAY: Psalm 51:1,7-17 Clean-up

Hey, you clean up nicely. The dirtiness of our sin may feel like gritty guilt,
creepy crawling chaos, or just plain darkness. David pleads with God to look away,
and to clean him up.
PRAYER: God, thank you for hearing my sins today (name them). I praise you,
that you clean me up and take away my guilt. May I live whole and wholly yours.
TUESDAY: Psalm 51:1,7-17 Helping others like me
In order to teach others to live in Your joy, we acknowledge our own
shortcomings, and then were able to show others a more excellent way.
CONSIDER: With whom are you sharing where you missed the mark, so as to
teach them that God restores and heals?
WEDNESDAY: Psalm 51:1,7-17 Broken spirit
Im not trying to be broken! Broken sounds useless, damaged, irreparable. But
this is what God desires for us: to know where were broken, and know that, in
that brokenness, God replaces a joy, a right spirit (one that responds to God), and
a clean heart.
PRAYER: Create in me a clean heart, O God.
THURSDAY: 2 Samuel 16:5-11 Life catches up with us
While God heals and forgives us, theres still an impact on humanity and a
consequence for our actions, both sinful and otherwise. Shimei represents the
idea that memory is short, but reconciliation with others is also necessary, even
though its harder to do.
REFLECTION: Is there someone in your life with whom you need to make things
right?
FRIDAY: 2 Samuel 16:5-11 What can you learn from those who despise you?
Shimei wants revenge. When someones anger toward you angers you, you might
ask what you can learn here. What information is being revealed? Hey, its not
fun, but it can be a learning opportunity.
PRAYER: Teach me to learn in the hard places. Go with me, though, because its
scary to me.
SATURDAY: 2 Samuel 16:5-11 Saving grace
David knows that God can take the most ugly situations/people and redeem them.
Hes at a low, low place as a leader and a parent. He holds on to hope when he
says maybe God can do some thing with all of this.
PRAYER: I am not beyond your love and grace. Through hope and connection, I
pray I experience both.

Prayer of Transformation - June 26

Scripture: Psalm 51:1,7-17 (NRSV)
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice;
if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches
of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission.All rights reserved.

My Notes:

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