Verse for the week: Whoever hears you hears me, and whoever rejects you
rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Luke 10.16
Prayer for the week: “Lord God, heavenly Father, you have bound us together in one body
through your Holy Spirit. Help us to
serve one another willingly and forgive one another from our hearts; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (K.B.
Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirched, 1st
ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1933, p. 74).
Bible reading for the day: Galatians 5.13; 6.1-10
13 For
you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an
opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
1 Brothers,
if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore
him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3
For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives
himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason
to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For
each will have to bear his own load.
6 Let
the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will
he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the
flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit
reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in
due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we
have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are
of the household of faith.
prayer(based on the TRIP** method): Gracious and
almighty Father, thank you for the true freedom that is ours in Christ alone…freedom
from climbing the faulty ladder of our own merit; thank you! Repent us of using our freedom according to
our own proud, fleshy will… that brings no good to our neighbor nor
ourselves. You will not be mocked Lord,
so every time we have the opportunity move us to do good to everyone. I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Hymn: follow
this link to a beloved, classic hymn that gives further voice to today’s
conversation with the Lord: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDxGQcNq0QI
“I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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:
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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