Morning Prayer for Sunday, February 15, 2026

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Praying the Scriptures

Sunday Morning Prayer

February 15, 2026

“For thus says the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” — Isaiah 57:15

Holy One,

You who inhabit eternity and dwell in the high and holy place, I stand before You in the crisp silence of this Deming morning. The February air bites with a lingering winter chill, and the Florida Mountains are silhouetted against a pale, waking sky, reminding me of the vastness of Your creation and the smallness of my own existence. The earth here in the high desert lies dormant, waiting for a warmth that has not yet fully arrived, and my soul feels much the same—quiet, slightly weathered by the seasons, and looking toward the horizon for the first true light of day.

You have promised to be near to those of a crushed and humble spirit, to revive the heart of the contrite, and I cling to that promise as the sun begins to crest over the basin. There are places within me that feel fragile and dry, like the dust underfoot, yet I trust that Your power is most visible when I am at my weakest. I ask You to descend into the shadows of my uncertainty and inhabit the low places of my life. Where I see only barren ground, I ask for the eyes of faith to see the roots deepening in the dark, trusting that You are cultivating growth in me even when the surface seems unchanged and still.

As the light floods this valley and chases away the gray of dawn, let Your reviving spirit breathe new life into my weary frame. Give me the quiet confidence to face the hours ahead, not with a reliance on my own strength, but with a steady trust in Your ability to bring transformation from the smallest of beginnings. May this Sunday be a testament to Your restoration, turning my waiting into worship and my hesitation into a renewed purpose, knowing that You are holding me fast through this winter and preparing me for the life that is to come.

Amen.

May the High and Holy One, who dwells with the humble of heart, revive our spirits and guide us all into the light of His restoring peace.

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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, February 15, 2026

 

Verse of the Day

Sunday, February 15, 2026

1 John 4:10

In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Introduction

Love is perhaps the most overused and undervalued word in the human lexicon. We use it to describe our feelings toward family, our romantic partners, and even our favorite foods. In our modern context, love is often reactive—we love things because they are lovely, or we love people because they treat us well.

However, the First Letter of John offers a definition of love that completely reverses human intuition. In 1 John 4:10, the author does not define love by looking at human emotion or human striving. Instead, he points to a specific historical event and a specific divine action. This verse anchors the abstract concept of "love" into the concrete reality of the Cross, revealing that true love is not about our reach toward heaven, but heaven’s reach toward us.

Commentary

To fully grasp the depth of this verse, it is helpful to break it down into its distinct theological movements.

• "In this is love..."

The author is establishing a definition. He is essentially saying, "If you want to know what love actually looks like in its purest form, look at this." He steers us away from subjective feelings and points us toward objective evidence.

• "...not that we loved God..."

This is a crucial negation. The text emphasizes that the origin of salvation is not human piety or spiritual hunger. Before we had any inclination toward the Divine, we were often indifferent or even hostile to His ways. This underscores the theological concept of prevenient grace—the grace that comes before we even know we need it.

• "...but that he loved us..."

Here lies the "First Mover" principle of the Gospel. God’s love is uncaused by us; it is generated entirely from within His own character. He does not love us because we are valuable; we become valuable because He loves us.

• "...and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins."

Love is not merely a sentiment; it is action. The Greek word used here for "atoning sacrifice" (or propitiation in some translations) is hilasmos. This is a weighty term. It implies that sin created a real barrier—a rupture in the relationship between humanity and God—that we could not fix. The "atoning sacrifice" is the means by which that relationship is restored, the debt is paid, and the barrier is removed. It cost God everything to restore us.

Understanding the Context

1 John was likely written to a community facing a crisis of belief and behavior. Early forms of false teaching (often associated with Gnosticism) were beginning to circulate, suggesting that Jesus did not truly come in the flesh or that sin wasn't a significant problem.

• The Nature of God: This verse sits in the middle of a passage (1 John 4:7-21) that famously declares "God is love" (Agapē). The author argues that you cannot claim to know the God of Love if you do not practice love yourself.

• The Integration of Truth and Action: John refuses to separate theology from ethics. He insists that correct belief about Jesus (that He is the Son sent by God) must result in correct living (loving one another). Verse 10 provides the theological fuel for the ethical command in verse 11: "Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another."

Application for Today

How does this ancient text speak to the modern heart?

• Relief from Performance: Many believers live with a subconscious anxiety that they must "earn" God's affection through good behavior or intense spiritual feelings. This verse liberates us from that burden. It reminds us that our relationship with God rests on His character, not our performance. We are loved not because we are good, but because He is love.

• Redefining Love in Relationships: If God’s love is the standard, then true love is sacrificial, not transactional. In a consumer culture that asks, "What can this relationship do for me?", 1 John 4:10 asks, "What can I give to the other?" It challenges us to love others even when they do not "deserve" it, just as God loved us.

• Assurance in Guilt: When we struggle with the weight of our past mistakes, we can look to the "atoning sacrifice." The problem of our sin has already been dealt with. We do not need to hide from God; the bridge has already been built.

Reflection

The profound mystery of 1 John 4:10 is that it locates the definition of love outside of us. This is incredibly good news. If love depended on the consistency of our devotion, we would be in a constant state of insecurity. Our love is often fickle, fragile, and conditional.

But the love described here is a solid rock. It is a historical fact—God sent His Son. It is a completed action. When we feel unlovable, or when we look at the brokenness of the world and wonder if God cares, we are not told to look inside our hearts for a warm feeling. We are told to look at the Cross. There, in the atoning sacrifice, the argument is settled forever: we are loved with a love that initiates, pursues, and pays the ultimate price to bring us home.

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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, February 15, 2026: The Light We Carry Down

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The Daily Devotional

Sunday, February 15, 2026

The Light We Carry Down

“So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” — 2 Peter 1:19

Introduction

Today stands as a magnificent threshold in the Christian year. We are at the conclusion of Epiphany, a season defined by the revelation of light, and we stand on the brink of Lent, a season of penitence and journeying toward the cross. This day, Transfiguration Sunday, serves as the bridge between the two.

In many traditions, today marks the final time “Alleluia” is spoken or sung in worship until Easter morning. It is a tender, bittersweet moment. We voice our highest praise one last time, packing the word away like a precious heirloom, preparing to enter the quiet wilderness of the next forty days. But before we descend into that silence, we are invited to the mountaintop to see exactly who it is we are following.

Reflection

The story of the Transfiguration is one of overwhelming sensory overload. In Matthew’s Gospel, Peter, James, and John follow Jesus up a high mountain. Suddenly, everything changes. Jesus’ face shines like the sun, and his clothes become dazzling white. Moses and Elijah—representing the Law and the Prophets—appear beside him. A bright cloud overshadows them, and the voice of God thunders, "This is my Son... listen to him!"

It is a moment of pure, terrifying glory. It is no wonder Peter wants to build dwellings and stay there. We all crave the safety and clarity of the mountaintop. We want to remain where God feels close and the world feels far away.

Consider a moment in your own life that felt like a "peak" experience—perhaps reaching the summit of a difficult hike just as the sun broke over the horizon. For twenty minutes, you sat on a rock, looking out over the vastness of the world. The air was crisp, your cell phone had no signal, and your worries about bills, health, or relationships felt miles away. You felt small, yet infinitely connected to something greater.

But eventually, the wind picked up. The sun rose higher. You had to hike back down to the parking lot, drive back into traffic, and return to a home that needed cleaning and a job that needed doing.

The mountaintop is not a place to live; it is a place to be fueled. The disciples were given this glimpse of Jesus’ glory not to escape the world, but to strengthen them for what was coming next. They needed to see the light of the Transfiguration so they could endure the darkness of the crucifixion. They needed to hear God’s voice in the cloud so they could trust Him in the silence of the tomb.

We go up the mountain to see God; we go down the valley to serve Him. The descent is not a failure; it is the mission.

Application

How do we carry the light of the mountaintop into the valley of our daily routines?

• Create a "Lamp" for the Dark: As 2 Peter suggests, hold onto the prophetic message like a lamp. Write down one specific moment where you clearly felt God’s presence or faithfulness in the past. When the Lenten season feels heavy or life gets chaotic, read that note to remind yourself that the sun is still shining behind the clouds.

• Practice the Ministry of Presence: In the valley, people are hurting. You don't always need to have the answers (Peter’s desire to speak and build was corrected by God). Sometimes, the most "transfigured" thing you can do is simply be with someone in their suffering, listening to them as we are commanded to listen to Jesus.

• Embrace the Silence: As we put away the "Alleluia," try to limit the noise in your life this week. Turn off the radio in the car or the TV in the background. Use the silence not as an emptiness, but as a space to listen for the "still small voice" that follows the thunder.

Conclusion

We cannot stay on the mountain, but we are forever changed by having been there. As we step toward Lent, we leave the dazzling light behind, but we do not walk in darkness. We carry the memory of that glory in our hearts. The "Alleluia" may fall silent on our lips, but the hope it signifies remains our strength for the journey ahead.

Prayer

Gracious God, thank You for the moments where the veil is thin and Your glory is undeniable. When we are on the mountaintop, fill us with awe. When we must descend into the valley, fill us with courage. Help us to listen to Your Son, the Beloved, especially when the path becomes steep and the shadows lengthen. May the light we have seen in Him become the light we share with a world in need. Amen.

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

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.