GPS for the week of July 20th, 2025
“You Were Also Raised With Him Through Faith In The Power Of God”
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Our readings from the Lectionary this week remind us that God
wants us to be a special people in this world. We remember his
covenant with the people of Israel when they cried out from their
slavery in Egypt and the way Jesus taught his disciples to pray
humbly and constantly. We have also been made alive by God’s
grace.
Dear Lord, thank you for your forgiveness and care. Amen.
Monday 7.21 “Children of the Living God.”
Hosea 1:2-10
“When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to
Hosea, ‘Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have
children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by
forsaking the Lord.’ So he went and took Gomer daughter of
Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. And the Lord
said to him, ‘Name him Jezreel; for in a little while I will punish the
house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the
kingdom of the house of Israel. On that day I will break the bow
of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.’ She conceived again and bore
a daughter. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Name her Lo-ruhamah,
for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive
them. But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save
them by the Lord their God; I will not save them by bow, or by
sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen.’ When she had
weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then the
Lord said, ‘Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I
am not your God.’ Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be
like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor
numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are
not my people,’ it shall be said to them, ‘Children of the living
God.’” This strange story about Hosea and Gomer and their
family reminds us that our God is alive and compassionate and
wants good for us (Exodus 22:21-27).
Tuesday 7.22 “Restore us again.”
Psalm 85
“Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes
of Jacob. You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned
all their sin. Selah. You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from
your hot anger. Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put
away your indignation toward us. Will you be angry with us
forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you
not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you? Show
us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. Let
me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to
his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his
glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness will
meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness
will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down
from the sky. The Lord will give what is good, and our land will
yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him, and will
make a path for his steps.” God will restore us as we turn to him.
Wednesday 7.23 “Continue to live your lives in him.”
Colossians 2:6-15
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to
live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in
the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See
to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty
deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental
spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the
whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to
fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. In
him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by
putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; when
you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with
him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the
dead.” Our Lord Jesus has established us in faith through his
forgiveness.
Thursday 7.24 “God made you alive together with him.”
Colossians 2:6-15
“And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of
your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he
forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood
against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to
the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a
public example of them, triumphing over them in it.” Let us be
alive with Jesus every day!
Friday 7.25 “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Luke 11:1-13
“He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one
of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught
his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father,
hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day
our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive
everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial.’
And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you
go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three
loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have
nothing to set before him.” And he answers from within, “Do not
bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are
with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” I tell you,
even though he will not get up and give him anything because he
is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and
give him whatever he needs.’” Pray humbly and constantly,
knowing that Jesus loves us.
Saturday 7.26 “Ask… Search… Knock.”
Luke 11:1-13
“‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will
find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone
who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for
everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone
among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake
instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a
scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to
your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the
Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’” Let us not give up seeking our
Lord in prayer.