Morning Prayer for Sunday, April 6, 2025

 

Praying the Scriptures

Sunday Morning Prayer

April 6, 2025

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2)

Gracious Lord,

As the first light stretches over the Florida Mountains and the desert breathes new life, I rise with a quiet heart, humbled by the wonder of Your creation. The gentle call of the mourning dove and the warmth of the sun remind me of Your presence that never fades.

Today, Lord, I choose to know nothing among the noise of this world—nothing but Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Let that truth be the rhythm of my breath, the pulse of my purpose, and the center of all I say and do.

Out here in the wide stillness of the desert, where mesquite and ocotillo bloom, I sense Your Spirit moving. The earth awakens in spring, and so too do I—made new by Your mercy, cleansed by Your grace, and rooted deeper in the love that flowed from the cross.

Help me walk this day not with clever words or lofty thoughts, but with a heart set on Christ alone. Let His sacrifice shape my service, His humility mold my character, and His resurrection ignite my hope.

This morning, I lay down my striving and pick up my cross. Lead me, Lord, through this day in simplicity and surrender, trusting that when I know only Christ, I know enough.

Amen.

May the peace of Christ, crucified and risen, guide your steps today as surely as the sun warms the desert floor, and may you walk in the quiet strength of His love.

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The Bible passages come from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyrighted © 1989, 1993 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America and are used by permission. All rights reserved. Praying the Scriptures is penned daily by Kenny Sallee, ThM.

Verse of the Day for Sunday, April 6, 2025

 

Verse of the Day

Sunday, April 6, 2025

1 John 3:16

We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.

Introduction

Love is a word often spoken but less often lived. In a world filled with fleeting emotions and self-centered pursuits, the apostle John reminds us of what true love really looks like. It's not poetic or passive—it’s sacrificial. In this single verse, we are given both the definition of divine love and the challenge to live it out.

Commentary

John doesn’t leave us guessing what love is—he points directly to Christ’s act on the cross. Jesus didn’t simply speak about love; He demonstrated it by laying down His life for humanity. This act becomes the measuring stick for all love. The second part of the verse is equally profound: "we ought to lay down our lives for one another."

This isn’t just a poetic notion. It’s a call to radical discipleship—living with a love so deep that we would be willing to sacrifice for the sake of others. In the original Greek, the word used for “laid down” implies a voluntary act. Jesus chose to lay down His life, and we, too, are called to choose self-giving love as our way of life.

Understanding the Context

John wrote this letter to encourage believers to live righteously and love one another as evidence of their relationship with God. In the surrounding verses of chapter 3, he contrasts the children of God with the children of the devil, drawing a stark difference between a life of love and a life of hatred.

Verse 16 sits at the heart of this contrast. The backdrop is clear: love must be more than words; it must be expressed in action. John is not speaking metaphorically—he is calling the early Christian community to be prepared, even to the point of martyrdom, for one another. It’s a continuation of Jesus’ teachings found in John’s Gospel (John 15:13), where Jesus says, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Application for Today

While we may not often be called to physically die for someone, we are certainly called to live sacrificially. What does it look like to “lay down your life” today?

• It could mean sacrificing time to sit with someone who’s grieving.

• It might be setting aside your preferences to serve someone else’s needs.

• It may look like standing up for someone being mistreated or making financial sacrifices to help someone in need.

The challenge is to ask ourselves daily: Am I choosing to love in a way that costs me something? Real love disrupts comfort and demands action.

Reflection

Christ showed us what love looks like—total, self-giving, and freely offered. What would it take for us to love one another in that same spirit? Spend some quiet time today asking God to reveal areas in your life where you can love more deeply and sacrificially. Pray for the courage to live a life that reflects the heart of Jesus, laying down pride, fear, or convenience for the sake of another.

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The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993 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. Verse of the Day is a daily inspirational and encouraging Bible verse extracted from BibleGateway.com. Commentary by Kenny Sallee, ThM.

Daily Devotions for Sunday, April 6, 2025: Setting Our Face Toward the Cross

 

The Daily Devotional

Sunday, April 6, 2025

Setting Our Face Toward the Cross

Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:23–24)

Introduction

As the 5th Sunday of Lent dawns, we find ourselves in the final stretch of the Lenten journey—a time marked by deeper introspection, increased devotion, and anticipation of the events of Holy Week. In John 12, we hear Jesus speaking about His impending death. He does not shy away but embraces what is to come, revealing the paradox of glory found through sacrifice.

Reflection

Jesus speaks of a grain of wheat falling into the earth, dying, and bearing fruit—a profound image of death leading to life. As we reflect, we must consider not just Christ’s death and resurrection, but the personal call to die to self so we may also bear fruit in Him.

I once heard the story of a missionary named Jim Elliot, who gave his life in the jungles of Ecuador while trying to bring the Gospel to the Waodani people. He had written in his journal, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Though his death seemed tragic and premature, it planted seeds. Years later, that same tribe came to know Christ, not only because of his sacrifice, but because his family continued the work in love and forgiveness.

Like the grain of wheat, Jim Elliot's life bore fruit because he followed Jesus' example, even unto death. We may not be called to such dramatic sacrifice, but we are each called to lay down something—pride, comfort, control—that Christ may live more fully in us.

Application

As we approach Holy Week, what must we let go of? What needs to die in us so that new life can flourish? Lent calls us to release what hinders our walk with God—perhaps it’s bitterness, fear, selfishness, or spiritual complacency. Take time today to name those things before God.

Consider also how your sacrifice might bear fruit in others. Is there a relationship that needs healing? A gift you’ve been withholding from the Church? A calling you’ve resisted? Surrender is never easy—but resurrection is on the other side.

Conclusion

This final week before Holy Week is a sacred threshold. Jesus has set His face toward Jerusalem—and so must we. The cross is not only where He died; it is where we are invited to lay down our lives as well. The promise? In Him, death is never the end. In Him, even the buried grain bears fruit.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, as the shadow of the cross grows longer, turn our hearts toward You. Help us to see beyond sacrifice to the glory of resurrection. Teach us to follow Jesus, even when the path is hard, and show us what we must lay down in order to rise with Him. Let our lives be fertile soil, bearing fruit for Your Kingdom. Prepare us, O Lord, for Holy Week—not just with our minds, but with our hearts. In the name of the One who died and rose again, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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Devotional by: Kenny Sallee, ThM — Deming, NM, USA

The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV)© 1989, 1993, 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.