Not according to the sins of your youth...

Here's how the Lord has promised to remember you.

Verse for the week: “What does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep his commandments…” Deuteronomy 10.12-13a

Prayer for the week: “Almighty God, you richly and unceasingly furnish us with all good things and preserve us day by day.  Make us to acknowledge this with our whole heart, that we may thank and praise you for your lovingkindness and mercy here and for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirchen, 2^nd  ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p. 200). 

Bible reading for the day: Psalm 25

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
² O my God, in you I trust;
    let me not be put to shame;
    let not my enemies exult over me.
³ Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
    they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

⁴ Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
⁵ Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.

⁶ Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
    for they have been from of old.
⁷ Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
    according to your steadfast love remember me,
    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

⁸ Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
⁹ He leads the humble in what is right,
    and teaches the humble his way.
¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

¹¹ For your name's sake, O Lord,
    pardon my guilt, for it is great.
¹² Who is the man who fears the Lord?
    Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
¹³ His soul shall abide in well-being,
    and his offspring shall inherit the land.
¹⁴ The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
    and he makes known to them his covenant.
¹⁵ My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
    for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

prayer(based on the TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for how you remember me: not according to the sins of my youth, not according to my great guilt… but according to your steadfast love in Christ crucified and raised for me. Thank you! Each hour Father, deliver me from my own hot head and cold heart; make me to know the way of Christ instead of my way… lead me in the one who is the Truth in the flesh… for then I am plucked out of the net and my offspring inherit the land of Calvary instead of the swamp of the self. I ask this in the name of the one who is your grace and truth, your mercy for sinners in the flesh: Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

What gifts or benefits does Baptism bring?

It brings about forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives everlasting salvation to all who believe, as the Word and promise of God declare.

What is this Word and promise of God?

It is the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in the last chapter of Mark, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” Mark 16:16.

(Martin Luther’s explanation of the Second Petition of the Lord’s Prayer, from The Small Catechism, ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved new hymn that gives further voice to today’s conversation the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpYtYYaTFGQ

benediction The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

                        The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in

                        From this time on and forevermore.  Ps 121.7-8

*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.