GPS for the week of January 19th, 2025
“He Has Anointed Me to Bring Good News to the Poor”
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“…God’s way with the Savior of all the world is again fulfilled. He is
to live in deepest poverty, obscurity, and lowliness. He is to share the
life of the plain and the despised, so that he can bear the misery of all
people and become their Savior (Dietrich Bonhoeffer).”
Dear Lord, help us to rejoice in your new life together with all
people. Amen.
Monday 1.20 “And the ears of all the people were attentive.”
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
“All the people gathered together into the square before the Water
Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of
Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest
Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and
all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of
the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the
Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the
men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears
of all the people were attentive to the book of the law…” We come
together to grow in our Lord.
Tuesday 1.21 “For the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
“And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was
standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people
stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the
people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their hands. Then they
bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the
ground… So they read from the book, from the law of God, with
interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood
the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the
priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all
the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or
weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine
and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for
this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the
Lord is your strength.’” The people rejoiced together in the gift of life
from God.
Wednesday 1.22 “Reviving the Soul.” Psalm 19
“The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament
proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to
night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a
tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding
canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. Its rising is
from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and
nothing is hid from its heat. The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving
the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the
commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; the fear of
the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the
honeycomb. Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping
them there is great reward. But who can detect their errors? Clear
me from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from the
insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be
blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my
mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord,
my rock and my redeemer.” We will find wisdom and healing in the
creation of God that is all around us.
Thursday 1.23 “God arranged the members in the body.”
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the
members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or
Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the
foot were to say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the
body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the
ear were to say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the
body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole
body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body
were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God
arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there
are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I
have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need
of you.’ On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be
weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we
think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less
respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our
more respectable members do not need this.” The body of our Lord
is spread throughout the world among all people.
Friday 1.24 “The members have the same care for one
another.”
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
“But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the
inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but
the members may have the same care for one another. If one
member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored,
all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and
individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first
apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then
gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various
kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do
all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater
gifts.” We may joyfully live with the gifts God has given to each of us.
Saturday 1.25 “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your
hearing.”
Luke 4:14-21
“Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee,
and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country.
He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went
to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood
up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He
unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring
good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the
captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go
free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ And he rolled up the
scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in
the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them,
‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’” Good news
for those who are poor and rejected among us!