Your Judge AND your Defender

Verse for the week: “For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.. (II Corinthians 4.6) 

Prayer for the week: O God, in the glorious transfiguration of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, you confirmed the faith by the witness of Moses and Elijah; and in the voice from the cloud, you revealed your beloved Son in whom we also receive adoption. Grant that we may come to this joy; through the same, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Bible reading for the day: Psalm 50.1-6

The Mighty One, God the LORD,
speaks and summons the earth
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
² Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God shines forth.

³ Our God comes; he does not keep silence;
before him is a devouring fire,
around him a mighty tempest.
⁴ He calls to the heavens above
and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
⁵ “Gather to me my faithful ones,
who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
⁶ The heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge!

prayer(based on the TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty Father thank you that you are the righteous judge AND our defense… thank you for issuing your verdict for us in Jesus Christ. All of us will stand before you Lord.  Repent me and my congregation of running from your devouring fire and of trying to ignore or silence you.  Gather us constantly to you and give us the faithful ears that Christ has already procured for us…that we may join the heavens in declaring your righteousness.  I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a contemporary hymn which gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Perfect Judge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7AQeYL9c74

“I believe in the Holy Spirit…”

What does this mean?

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith. In the same way, he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and preserves it in unity with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church, he daily forgives abundantly all my sins and the sins of all believers. At the last day, he will raise me and all the dead and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly true! (from “The Small Catechism” by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

benediction: May the God of peace himself grow you in his will entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.  Amen.  I Thess 5.23

*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.