Verse for the week: “Make me understand the way of your commandments,
that I may meditate on your marvelous works.” Psalm 119.27
Prayer for this week: “Almighty God, you set your Son over the works of
your hands, so that even the rebellious spirits must obey him. Give power to your word that your kingdom may
grow and increase and all creation be delivered into the glorious liberty of
your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (K.B. Ritter, Gebete für das jahr der Kirche, 2nd
ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948,
p.86 )
Bible reading for the day: Deuteronomy
18.15-22
15 “The Lord your
God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your
brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as
you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly,
when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my
God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And
the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have
spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like
you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth,
and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And
whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I
myself will require it of him. 20 But the prophet
who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak,
or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall
die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we
know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’—22 when
a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to
pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not
spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid
of him.
Prayer (based on TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty Lord, thank you for the sweet,
raw power of your word…thank you for not taming it…and for speaking it best in
Jesus Christ for us. Repent me and your
whole church of liking our own words better than yours and of not heeding your
voice. See to it that what you want said
gets said…even through the likes of us.
I ask this in the name of the one who is the Living Word, Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.
Hallowed be thy name…
What
does this mean?
God's name is indeed holy in
itself, but we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy also among us.
How is this done?
God's name is hallowed when
his Word is taught in its truth and purity and we, as God's children, lead holy
lives in harmony with it. Grant this to us, dear Father in heaven! But whoever
teaches and lives in ways other than what God's Word teaches dishonors the name
of God among us. Prevent us from doing this, heavenly Father! (from The
Small Catechism, by Martin Luther, © Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing,
2011)
Benediction: The peace of God which surpasses all understanding
keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. Phil 4.7
*There are many patterns for devotions. This pattern has been followed by God’s people
for centuries.
**The T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin
Luther prayed and taught others to pray. It was later developed by Walter and Ingrid
Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries (Alexandria , MN
T:
thanksgiving
R:
regret (repentance)
I:
intercession (asking God to take a specific action)
P:
plan or purpose
Reading a biblical text and then applying this method gives
one a sound, simple way to form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps
one learn how to faithfully reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.
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