Invitatory: Lo,
your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a
donkey. Zech 9.9
Prayer for the 1st week of Advent: “Almighty God and
Lord, come to us with all your power and help us who are anxious and
troubled. Send us the Savior, that he
may enter our hearts, and with your light illumine our night, through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das Jahr der Kirche, 1st
ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1933,
p.35.)
Bible reading for the day: Psalm 80.1-7 (note: The northern kingdom of
Israel rebelled against the Lord and consequently fell to Assyria in 722 B.C.
Here refugees from Israel pray for restoration and peace.)
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
and come to save us!
you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
and come to save us!
4 O Lord God of
hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
how long will you be angry with your people's prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.
7 Restore us, O God of
hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
let your face shine, that we may be saved!
8 You brought a vine
out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.
you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
and all that move in the field feed on it.
14 Turn again, O God of
hosts!
Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15 the stock that your right hand planted,
and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
16 They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!
Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15 the stock that your right hand planted,
and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
16 They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!
19 Restore us,
O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!
Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and
almighty Lord, thank you for the man of your right hand, your son Jesus, whom
you made strong through the perceived weakness of the cross in order to save
us… thank you! Repent me and your people
of prayers that anger you. If need be, break down our walls and ravage us… all
so that you may restore us. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
“I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord…”
What does this mean?
I believe that Jesus Christ — true God, begotten of the
Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary — is my Lord.
He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, and has freed me from sin,
death, and the power of the devil, not with silver and gold, but with his holy
and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death. He has done all this
in order that I might be his own, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him
in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, even as he is risen
from the dead and lives and reigns for all eternity. This is most certainly
true! (from The Small Catechism
by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
Benediction: (1 Pet 5:10) And after you
have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to
his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and
establish you this day. To him be the
power forever and ever. Amen.
*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.
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