Verse for the week:
God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.
Acts 2.36
Prayer for the week:
“Almighty, everlasting God, you have given us the promise of your
divine life. Bestow upon us your Holy
Spirit, that, quickened by your word, we may lay hold on eternal life by strong
faith in your Son, and in him be saved; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our
Lord. Amen. (K.B.
Ritter, Gebete fur das Jahr der Kirche, 2nd ed. (Kassel:
Johannes Stauda-Verllag, 1948), p.170)
Bible reading for the day: I Kings 8.22-23, 27-28, 33-43 (an excerpt of Solomon’s prayer upon the
completion and dedication of the temple)
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the
presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, 23
and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven
above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your
servants who walk before you with all their heart…
27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth?
Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less
this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard to
the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening
to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day…
33 “When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they
have sinned against you, and if they turn again to you and acknowledge your
name and pray and plead with you in this house, 34 then hear in
heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the
land that you gave to their fathers.
35 “When heaven is shut up and there is no
rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and
acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, 36 then
hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when
you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your
land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
37 “If there is famine in the land, if there
is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy
besieges them in the land at their gates, whatever plague, whatever sickness
there is, 38 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by
all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and
stretching out his hands toward this house, 39 then hear in heaven
your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you
know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of all the
children of mankind), 40 that they may fear you all the days that
they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.
41 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of
your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name's sake 42 (for
they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your
outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear
in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner
calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and
fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that
I have built is called by your name.
Prayer (based on
T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, there is no
other like you: you keep your covenant and show steadfast love to your people.
Thank you! Repent me and your church of
containing you in a box or a building… and of denying the consequences of our
sin. Repent us also of not welcoming outsiders to your house. Each moment, turn
us from sin and toward you… that we may thrive in the place where you call us
and may help others know and call on your great name. I ask this through Jesus Christ, your Son,
our Lord. Amen.
What is the
significance of baptizing with water?
It signifies that the old Adam in us, together with all sins
and evil desires, should be drowned by daily sorrow for sin and repentance and
be put to death, and that the new person should come forth every day and rise
to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Where is this written?
Saint Paul says in Romans, “We were buried therefore with
him by Baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the
dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans
6:4 ESV). (from The Small Catechism,
by Martin Luther, ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
Benediction: The
God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in
hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. (Romans 15.13)
*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.
No comments:
Post a Comment