Verse for the week:
“Give thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the
inheritance of the saints in the light.” Colossians 1.12
Prayer: “Almighty
God, draw our hearts to you, guide our minds, fill our imaginations, control
our wills, so that we may be wholly yours. Use us as you will, always to your
glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen” (Lutheran
Book of Worship)
Bible reading for the day: Revelation 21.1-8
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And
I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud
voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with
man.
He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,
and God himself will be with them as their God.
4 He
will wipe away every tear from their eyes,
and death shall be no more,
neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain
anymore,
for the former things have passed away.”
5 And he who was seated on the throne said,
“Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these
words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I
am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will
give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one
who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my
son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as
for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their
portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the
second death.”
Prayer (based on
T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for the
new heaven and new earth that are already mine in Christ Jesus. Deliver me and
your church from all words that are not trustworthy and true. Until that sweet day when we dwell with you
and your hand wipes our cheek, keep on making all things new for us…that in
Christ we may conquer the evil of this present age and be refreshed at the
spring of life who is Jesus Christ our Lord.
I ask this in his name, amen.
I believe in the Holy Spirit…
What does this mean?
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe
in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me
through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and preserved
me in the true faith. In the same way, he calls, gathers, enlightens, and
sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and preserves it in unity with
Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church, he daily forgives
abundantly all my sins and the sins of all believers. At the last day, he will
raise me and all the dead and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who
believe in Christ. This is most certainly true! (from The Small
Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
Benediction: May
the God of peace himself grow you in his will entirely; and may your spirit and
soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ. The one who calls you is
faithful, and he will do this. Amen. I Thess 5.23
*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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