“Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
O Israel, if you would but listen to me!” Psalm 81.8
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.
Bible reading for the day: Romans 8.18-30
18 For I consider that the
sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory
that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation
waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For
the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of
him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the
creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the
freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For
we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the
pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the
creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as
sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in
this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes
for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do
not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit
helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for
words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows
what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes
for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And
we know that for those who love God all things work together for
good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For
those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to
the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many
brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also
called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he
justified he also glorified.”
Prayer of the Day: Gracious and almighty Father, in Christ our salvation is now already
given… and yet we still cling to our old bondage. Keep working out the new
birth of my baptism daily. As I groan under this birth, subject me to the
futility of my own will, conform me to the image of your Son, and encourage me
by the glory that is to be revealed to those whom you have predestined,
including me. 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=ymKxTkrRNBA
“What does baptism mean for daily living?”
It means that my sinful self, with all its evil deeds and
desires, should be drowned through daily repentance; and that day after day a
new self should arise to live with God in righteousness and purity forever.
Paul writes in Romans 6: “We were buried therefore
with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by
the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (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 99th year in the Word. In 2025, we are reading
from Genesis to Revelation, with a few interludes along the way.
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