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: I Corinthians
13.1-13 (note: Paul has just declared the varied spiritual gifts which the Lord
gives to his body, the church. Now he
defines the “most excellent way” in which these gifts are to be used.)
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but
have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I
have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I
have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3
If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but
have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love
is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or
rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love
never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will
cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part
and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial
will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I
thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up
childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to
face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully
known.
13 So
now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is
love.
Prayer (based on TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty Lord, thank you for loving
sinners like us with the amazing, patient, true love of Jesus Christ. Way better than Valentine sentiment or a
flowery “love-in” leftover from the 60’s, Christ’s love sees through our
wrongdoings and does not rejoice in them but takes them upon himself…and gives
us the truth in exchange. Thank you! You know my brothers & sisters and me
fully and you know that we aren’t very good at your kind of love: we can be
boastful, rude, and resentful. So, until
you return and we see you face to face, have at us Lord: don’t just affirm us,
transform us with the love that has gone to the cross for us and been raised
for us. Guide me to show your love to my neighbor. I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Hymn: follow
this link to a beloved, classic hymn that connects with today’s conversation
with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMY3ivdNzwE
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord…
What
does this mean?
I believe that Jesus Christ —
true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the
Virgin Mary — is my Lord. He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature,
and has freed me from sin, death, and the power of the devil, not with silver
and gold, but with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and
death. He has done all this in order that I might be his own, live under him in
his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and
blessedness, even as he is risen from the dead and lives and reigns for all
eternity. This is most certainly true! (from
The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola
Publishing, 2011)
Benediction: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love
of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. II Cor 13.14
*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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