Verse for the week: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the
humble. I Peter 5.5
Prayer for the week: “Almighty, everlasting God, mercifully behold us who
have been made your children through baptism and, according to your grace,
grant that your promises may be fulfilled in us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur
das jahr der Kirche, 2nd ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p. 183).
Bible reading for the day: Luke 13.22-30
22 He
went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward
Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him,
“Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to
enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and
will not be able. 25 When once the master of the
house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock
at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I
do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will
begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our
streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I
do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of
evil!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the
prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29 And people
will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at
table in the kingdom of God. 30 And
behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be
last.”
prayer(based on
the TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty
Father, thank you for the narrow door who is Jesus and the wide welcome sinners
like us receive on account of his forgiveness of our sin. Thank you! Repent me
and my congregation of trying to carry any of our own merit in the door with
us. Relieve us of all our presumptions of deserving so that Jesus himself can
get us right where we finally belong: in your house reclining at your table. In
his name I ask it, amen.
Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic that gives
further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkMapZB8qMk
“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: Now to him who by the power at work within
us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to
him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and
ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)
*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
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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