Prison, even Death--Apr. 17, 2015

Some have endured prison, even faced death,

rather than forswear their faith in you, O God.

.

They believed that you would not forsake them

but rather would fulfill your purpose for them.

I do not have that kind of courage, dear Father,

but am amazed how much love you have given.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 96; 148; 49; 138

Dan. 3:1-18

1 John 3:1-10

Luke 3:15-22

Selected Verses

Ps. 138:8

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
          your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
          Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Dan. 3:18

"…But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.”  [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to the king]

1 John 3:1

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are.  The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 

Luke 3:19-20

But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by [John] because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison.