Verse for the week: For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you
are light. Live as children of light— Ephesians 5.8
Prayer for the week: “Lord God, whose strength is sufficient for all who lay hold on it,
grant us in you to comfort our hearts and be strong. Humility, meekness, temperance, purity,
largeheartedness, sympathy, zeal – grant us these evidences of faith, servants
of hope, fruits of love; for the sake of Jesus Christ, our strength, our
righteousness, and our hope of glory.
Amen. (Christina Rossetti, quoted in Fox, A Chain of Prayer, p.161).
Bible reading for the day: Luke 10.38-42
Now as they went on their way, Jesus
entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39
And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened
to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And
she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me
to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered
her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but
one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be
taken away from her.”
Prayer(based on TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty Father thank you for
taking the road in Jesus that leads straight into our lives. Repent us of all the distractions by which we
avoid you and repent us of our penchant to tell others what to do. While we await your return, give me and my
brothers and sisters over to the one thing needful: listening to you… for then
everything else will fall into place. I
ask this in Jesus’ name, 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)
Hymn: follow
this link to a beloved, classic hymn that gives further voice to today’s
conversation with the Lord: https://vimeo.com/46203440
benediction:
And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who
has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support,
strengthen, and establish you this day.
To him be the power forever and ever.
Amen. (1 Pet 5:10)
*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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