Who needs discipline, part 2

Verse for the week:
“God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46.1

Prayer for the week: Dear Father in heaven, You are light and love; the only true God. Make me steadfast in faith, filled with the knowledge of you and your son Jesus. And by your Holy Spirit, use me to love others and keep your commandments. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible reading for the day: 2 Samuel 7.8-17  This is one of the books that records the history of God’s covenant relationship with his chosen, yet rebellious people. In this excerpt, God instructs the prophet Nathan what to say to the beloved King David.

⁸ Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. ⁹ And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. ¹⁰ And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, ¹¹ from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. ¹² When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴ I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, ¹⁵ but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. ¹⁶ And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” ¹⁷ In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. 

Prayer of the Day: Gracious and almighty Father, thank you: in Christ Jesus it is your will to take our stripes upon yourself and adopt sinners like me as your sons and daughters. When we your chosen sons and daughters commit iniquity, you discipline us with a human rod… but your steadfast love does not depart from us. Keep up your work upon us Lord, that your throne may be established daily among us. In Jesus’ name I pray, 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=LF2M8nvKK9k

“thy kingdom come…”

What does this mean? God’s kingdom comes indeed without our prayer, but we ask in this prayer that it may come also to us.

When does this happen? 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 on earth now and in heaven forever. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

Benediction: For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
    he adorns the humble with salvation.   Psalm 149.4

 

*This is now our congregation’s 99^th year in the Word. In 2025, we are reading from Genesis to Revelation, with a few interludes along the way.