Good News for the New Year

Theme: Scripture as My Guide

My sisters and I are reading through the Bible and creating a Devotional we want to publish. This is a draft of the kind of thing we want to pull together. We want to show how having one foot in the ancient Scripture and one foot in our contemporary context can help us reflect God's image in everything we do. We would love feedback on some very rough drafts I will put here. All of this is still in the early stages. Our aim is helping to open up the Word of God so people understand it is available to everyone--that it is meant to live in our hearts.

Genesis 1:31

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Psalm 1:2

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.

Matthew 1:19

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly.

Prayer

Dear Lord,

You carefully created the universe, and proclaimed it was good. You gave human beings a small portion of the universe as a gift. You gave humanity guide posts. In stories like this one about Joseph, you showed us what it means to trust your Word. As we read through your Word, show us how to let that Word live in us so that we reflect your goodness in everything we create. Help us to feel everyday joy. Enabled us to be like Joseph listening to you and your Word. Give us the wisdom to sift through the confusing and conflicting context of the temporary fads that are here today and gone tomorrow. Help us to see your eternal truths. Amen.

Action: Our sister, Jodi reminded us of the Song "On Holy Ground" by Barbara Streisand and we listened to the YouTube recording I will include the link here. What if we thought about all of God's creation, and all of our world, as Holy Ground? What if we were less fearful? Joseph was planning to protect Mary, even though the culture of his day would have told him to expose her. Where are we being asked to embrace a life without fear and to live into loving and trusting that this world, this universe is not our enemy but God's Gracious gift?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Jn4e2iHZk Holy Ground