[From the original version]

The Gospel of Luke begins and ends in the Temple. Place yourself a short distance from Zechariah and spend time in quiet prayer with him. Open your heart by faith to what is about to happen. The longing of the ages is gathered into this high priest and his aged wife, earnestly praying, patiently waiting for God to make his saving move upon the earth.

Sense the awesome moment as Gabriel announces the first words of God’s intervention on our behalf. Listen slowly to each phrase of the angel. Gabriel cites the final verses of the Old Testament found in Malachi 4:5–6. The dangling thread at the end of the Old Testament is gathered and attached to the wondrous new covenant, which begins to be woven in John the Baptist.

Sink into the scene. What movements does the Spirit make upon your heart?

Luke 1:1–25

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In Advent through Epiphany this year we read Luke chapters 1 to 8.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.

[From the version for families with children]

Like the stars that are scattered across the Advent night sky, so does St. Peter write to his beloved Christians who are flung across Asia Minor, the area that is now the country of Turkey.

This letter is like an Advent candle.  The candle might seem powerless to push back the darkness as some great floodlight would do. St. Peter describes the people going through very hard times: persecution, jealousies, bully-fights from those who do not know God.  St. Peter encourages them and lets them feel that though they are small against big attacks, still—like the Advent Candle—the darkness cannot any longer say that there is no light!  Not only that, but the flame that lights the candle will also be like the fire that purifies gold and makes it shine more brightly. 

So when things happen to you that frighten you or make you angry or sad, just take up this passage and pray slowly over some of the verses in the reading that will bring comfort and joy to your heart.   Comfort and joy—two gifts that Jesus wants to give you this Advent and Christmas!  

 1 Peter 1:1-12

Find out all about Bible Breaths Learn More…

Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In the seasons of Advent through Epiphany this year,
we read the letters of Peter.

For all the Firestarters in the original version, I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these Firestarters with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.

Tap Here for a video meditation on Psalm 95.

[From the version for families with children]

Can you imagine this psalm being prayed in the middle of the night for centuries—about a 2 AM?  How’s that for getting up early!  There are religious communities who live to praise God, work and pray in God’s presence all the time.  They even promise to stay in the same place all the days of their life, challenging us to be careful about all the traveling that we want to do.  Jesus never went beyond the Lands that became holy by his presence.

Pray this psalm in the spirit of those who begin their day in the middle of the night.  While everyone is sleeping the prayer is sung out for the whole earth, inviting all the peoples to return to the basics of life and praise God.

The middle of the night….quiet, peaceful—a good time for prayer…for you too, if you find yourself awake for awhile at that time.  It’s soon to be the middle of the season when nights are much longer than days—winter.   It’s in this setting that we celebrate Advent—the season to become awakened to God and God’s love in our lives.

 Psalm 95

What are Bible Breaths? Learn More

We follow a reading of the Psalms in numerical order.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information