GPS: Grow, Pray & Study Guide
For week starting on January 18th, 2026
“Do Not Cast Me Off, Do Not Forsake Me, O God of My Salvation!”
We face despair in this world, seeing the violence and hate that
surrounds us and that we even find in our own hearts. Let us bring
our sadness and tears to Jesus, who will weep with us and help
us to care for those who need his love.
God of tears, God of the cross, God of the empty tomb and
unexpected life, help us to put down our shiny smiles and
allow ourselves to weep when the tears are banking up. Help
us also to make safe spaces for one another to weep knowing
that you weep with us and knowing that your risen, healing
life cannot be tethered (prayer by Sally Douglas). Amen.
Monday 1.19 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”
Isaiah 9:1-4
“But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the
former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the
land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the
way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the
nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great
light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light
has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its
joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people
exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the
bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have
broken as on the day of Midian.” Let us rejoice in the light of our
Lord.
Tuesday 1.20 “Your face, Lord, I do seek.”
Psalm 27:1, 4-9
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the
house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of
the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his
shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of
his tent; he will set me high on a rock. Now my head is lifted up
above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to
the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and
answer me! ‘Come,’ my heart says, ‘seek his face!’ Your
face, Lord, do I seek. Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn
your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not
cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!” We will
find light and be able to face our fears by the grace of God.
Wednesday 1.21 “For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s
people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.”
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
“Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there
be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same
mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by
Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers
and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, ‘I belong to
Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos,’ or ‘I belong to Cephas,’ or ‘I belong
to Christ.’ Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” What is more
important, to be smug and self-righteous or to be united in Christ?
Let us forget about our own egos and rejoice in the diverse and
lively body of our Lord on this earth!
Thursday 1.22 “The message about the cross…”
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
“ I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and
Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized in my
name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond
that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did
not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with
eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied
of its power. For the message about the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the
power of God.” This message of new life brings the power of God
into our lives.
Friday 1.23 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 4:12-23
“Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew
to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by
the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had
been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ‘Land of
Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the
Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and
shadow of death light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to
proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’”
What joy it is to come before our Lord, not in our own “goodness”
but to rejoice in his forgiveness!
Saturday 1.24 “Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
Matthew 4:12-23
“As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon,
who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the
sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me,
and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets
and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other
brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat
with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called
them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed
him. Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues
and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every
disease and every sickness among the people.” Let us join these
fishermen and find the joy of learning to follow Jesus every day.