(Luke 2:25-27) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Lead me this day to your divine appointment. Imagination: (Picture Simeon praising God with Jesus in his arms.) Context: After forty days, Mary and Joseph fulfill the Mosaic Law by presenting Jesus in the temple. Surprisingly, Simeon appears on the scene. Luke says that …
(Luke 1:46-55) Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit. Inspire your prayer in my heart. Imagination: (Picture Mary praising God in Elizabeth’s presence) Context: Mary knows the Old Testament song of Hannah, mother of Samuel (1Sam 2:1-10). Hannah rejoiced that she conceived by God’s power after years of hopelessness. Mary enters into an …
(Luke 7:24-30) Prayer: O Jesus, let me rejoice that I was born into your Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture Jesus speaking to the crowds.) Context: Jesus has answered John’s messengers about being the Messiah. Now Jesus praises John, saying he is an angel preparing the way. Even though John is the greatest …
(Matthew 11:11-15) Prayer: O Jesus, prepare me for the greatness of your Kingdom. Imagination: (Picture Jesus talking to his disciples about John.) Context: John is the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. Yet, because he did not live to see Jesus’ Kingdom, the least in Jesus’ Kingdom is greater than …
(Matthew 7:24-27) Prayer – O Jesus, I will put your word into practice so my house will always stand. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: Jesus chooses an example from the people’s daily experiences. In Israel, the rains come suddenly. A dry canal becomes quickly a raging stream. This …
(Luke 21:20-28) Prayer: O Jesus, be with us in times of disasters. Imagination: (Picture Jesus explaining to his disciples the fall of Jerusalem) Context: Jesus prophesied that the Romans would destroy Jerusalem, which they did in 70 A.D. Luke wrote his gospel fifteen years after this destruction. However, these words …
(Luke 19:41-44) Prayer: O Jesus, let me know the time of your visitation. Imagination: (Picture Jesus weeping over Jerusalem.) Context: As Jesus comes close to Jerusalem, he suddenly stops and weeps. He knows the future destruction of this city and describes it clearly. He pinpoints the cause of the failure. …
(Luke 17:20-25) Prayer – O Lord, prepare me for your coming. Imagination: (Picture Jesus instructing his disciples). Context: The Pharisees want to know when the Kingdom would come. The question is futile because the Kingdom is already present as the Spirit dwells in the believer. A final and total coming …
(Luke 15:1-10) Prayer: O Jesus, show me how precious I am to you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: These twin parables are closely connected to the Prodigal Son parable. A hundred sheep was a medium sized flock. The shepherd must have been poor, unable to pay a helper. …
(Luke 13:31-35) Prayer: O Jesus, let me follow you to Jerusalem. Imagination – (Picture Jesus with his disciples and the Pharisees.) Context: Seemingly, the Pharisees are warning Jesus to leave Herod’s territory. Really, they want him to go to Jerusalem where they have more power. Jesus knows their plans and …
(Luke 12:49-53) Prayer – O Jesus, light your fire in my heart. Imagination – (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples.) Context: This text contains two separate sayings of Jesus. The first shows his greatest desire – to cast the fire of the Holy Spirit upon all believers. The second speaks about …
(Luke 11:47-54) Prayer – O Jesus, fill me with a true piety which knows and loves God. Imagination – (Picture Jesus denouncing the Pharisees) Context: The Jews blame their forefathers for being mistaken and killing the prophets. However, they will do the same thing in killing Jesus. Jesus recounts human …
(Luke 11:5-8) Prayer: Come Holy Spirit. Teach me the overwhelming kindness of God. Imagination: (Picture Jesus with His disciples.) Context: Because the family went to bed early and would sleep in the same room, this request for bread disturbs the whole family. They are in the middle of their sleep …
(Luke 10:1-12) Prayer – O Lord, send me wherever your word needs to be preached. Imagination – (Picture Jesus preparing 72 more disciples to go to the villages.) Context: Three gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), record Jesus sending the Twelve. Only Luke mentions this larger number of 72. Obviously, the …
(Luke 9:7-9) Prayer – O Holy Spirit, reveal to me the fullness of Jesus. Imagination – (Picture Jesus with his disciples) Context: This text is sort of an interlude as Herod ponders Jesus’ identity. Later, Peter, by divine revelation, will proclaim correctly that Jesus is the Messiah. Gospel Text: (Read …
(Luke 7:36-50) Prayer – O Jesus, even though I am a sinner, I will approach you. Imagination: (Picture Jesus at table with the woman at his feet.) Context: The central figure is the creditor who forgives both debtors. Where can such a man be found? He is God with his …
(Luke 6:27-36) Prayer – O Lord, you demand so much but you reward so generously. Imagination – (Picture Jesus teaching his disciples.) Context: Jesus does not give these commands to the crowds but to his disciples. He reveals what he expects of them. The demands are high but the reward …
(Luke 5:1-11) Prayer – O Jesus, call me to serve you. Imagination: (See Peter on his knees before Jesus in the boat.) Context: Peter has witnessed many of Jesus’ miracles but this miracle is unique. Peter is a fisherman. He knows that filling both boats with fish is impossible in …
(Matthew 24:42-51) Prayer: O Jesus, I will watch for your return. Imagination: (Picture Jesus in the Jerusalem Temple with his disciples.) Context: This text contains two parables. The first likens God to a thief who breaks in at an unexpected time. The second is a servant. He can be faithful …
(Matthew 22:1-14) Prayer – O Jesus, may I always respond to your invitations. Imagination – (Picture Jesus confronting his enemies.) Context: The time is Holy Week. In the days before his capture, Jesus confronts his opponents in Jerusalem. In this parable, the invited guests are the Jerusalem leaders who refuse …
