Verse for the week:
What does the Lord require of your but to do justice, and to love
kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6.8
Prayer for the week:
“Lord God, grant unto us your Holy Spirit that we may hear and
accept your word, in order that, being cleansed in mind and renewed in life, we
may live to you, here and hereafter; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirched,
2nd ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag,
1948, p.207).
Bible
reading for the day: Luke 16.1-15
1
He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and
charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 2 And
he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the
account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ 3 And
the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the
management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to
beg. 4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from
management, people may receive me into their houses.’ 5 So,
summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do
you owe my master?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said
to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then
he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of
wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 The
master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this
world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of
light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of
unrighteous wealth so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal
dwellings.
10
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one
who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If
then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to
you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that
which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No
servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the
other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and money.”
14
The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they
ridiculed him. 15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify
yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men
is an abomination in the sight of God.
Prayer (based on TRIP
method**): Gracious and
almighty Father thank you for granting me not just a house temporarily, but for
the eternal, the real estate you
grant me in Christ. Thank you! Repent me
and my brothers and sisters of putting our trust in unrighteous wealth, in the
money of this world… for it will one day fail.
You know my heart Lord; circumcise it each day… that I and my brothers
and sisters may serve you alone and may be faithful in both the money and the
true riches of Christ that you have entrusted to us. I ask this in Jesus’ name,
amen.
Hymn: follow this
link to a fresh rendition of a beloved, classic hymn that gives further voice
to today’s conversation with the Lord: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Byp7aK2DA
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 peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. Phil 4.7
*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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