Who are you going to call?

Verse for the week:  Behold, the kingdom of God is among you.  Luke 17.21

Prayer for the week:  “Lord, you have promised to grant what we pray in the name of your Son.  Teach us to pray aright and to laud and praise you with all your saints in the fullness of life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirched, 2^nd  ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p. 152). 

Bible reading for the day:  Psalm 138

¹ I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
² I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
³ On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.

⁴ All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
⁵ and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
⁶ For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.

⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
⁸ The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for answering me when I called… so many times! Your steadfast love and faithfulness are the best… thank you!  Repent me and your church of the haughtiness that is too proud to call on you. Again today, fulfill your purpose for me that I may thank you with my whole heart. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved hymn that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-3d2QZ2rPE

“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:  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all.  Amen.  I 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 www.dailytext.com).  The method is founded on scripture and easy to remember:

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.