The New Life

Verse for the week: If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (I John 1.7 NRSV) 

Morning prayer: Almighty and everlasting God, in the wonder of Christ’s death and resurrection, you reconciled the world to yourself, erased your own score against us, and entrusted your message to us.  Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s body may be ambassadors for him, showing forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen.  (adapted from The Book of Common Prayer, based on II Corinthians 5)

Bible reading for the day:  Psalm 22.25-31 (note: this Psalm is the one that begins “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  It is this Psalm that Christ quotes during his crucifixion.  The whole Psalm is worth your reading. This is how it ends:)

   From you comes my praise in the great congregation;

    my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

26    The poor shall eat and be satisfied;

    those who seek him shall praise the LORD.

    May your hearts live forever!

27    All the ends of the earth shall remember

    and turn to the LORD;

    and all the families of the nations

    shall worship before him.

28    For dominion belongs to the LORD,

    and he rules over the nations.

29    To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down;

    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,

    and I shall live for him.

30    Posterity will serve him;

    future generations will be told about the Lord,

31    and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,

    saying that he has done it.

prayer(based on the TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for working death and resurrection for me again, thank you for forming me to Christ.  Keep doing it, Lord…until the last day.  Repent me and my congregation of wanting dominion to belong to us.  Instead, turn our families to live for you, bring your praise from our lips, and keep us busy proclaiming Christ to those who have not yet heard.  I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Thy kingdom come…

What does this mean?

The kingdom of God comes indeed by itself, without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may also come to us.

How is this done?

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 eternity. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther, ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

benediction:   The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

                        The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in

                        From this time on and forevermore.  Ps 121.7-8

*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.