Prayer for the week:
“Almighty God, draw our hearts to you, guide our minds, fill our
imaginations, control our wills, so that we may be wholly yours. Use us as you
will, always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen” (Lutheran Book of Worship)
Bible reading for the day: Matthew 23.1-15 (note: The
setting is Jerusalem, the week during which Jesus will be crucified for being
the truth. He has just silenced the proud religious leaders; they dared not ask
him any more questions. The next we will hear from them, Mt 26.3-5, they will
be plotting to arrest him by stealth and kill him.)
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his
disciples, 2 “The scribes and the
Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so do and
observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they
preach, but do not practice.4 They tie up heavy burdens,
hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are
not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They
do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their
phylacteries* broad and their fringes long, 6 and
they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the
synagogues 7 and greetings in the
marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But
you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all
brothers .9 And call no man your father on earth,
for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither
be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The
greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever
exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
13 “But woe to you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in
people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would
enter to go in. 15 Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a
single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as
much a child of hell as yourselves. (*“Phylacteries” were small
leather boxes containing scripture verses. They were tied around one’s forehead
or arms; see Deut 6.8)
Prayer (based on
T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you: from
Moses through Jesus your living Word is good and true. Repent me and my
congregation of exalting ourselves above your Word, for then we shut heaven in
people’s faces. Humble us under your Word… that by your sheer grace we may
practice it to your glory and to our neighbor’s benefit. I ask this in Jesus’
name, amen.
Hymn: follow this
link to a beloved, classic hymn that gives further voice to today’s
conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbcBXYP4AlE
“Thy kingdom come…
What does this mean?
The kingdom of God comes indeed by itself, without our
prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may also come to us.
How is this done?
God's kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us his Holy
Spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy Word and live a godly life now
and in eternity. (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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