Verse for the week:
How great is your goodness, O Lord…which you have done in the sight
of all who put their trust in you. Psalm 31.19
Prayer: “Merciful
God, you resist the proud but give grace to the humble. Help us to trust you utterly, to rest our
hope and confidence in you, and to serve you with pure hearts; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete
fur das jahr der Kirche, 2nd ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p. 193).
Bible reading for the day: John 6.51-59
I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If
anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give
for the life of the world is my flesh.”
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves,
saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus
said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son
of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever
feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up
on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true
drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in
me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live
because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.
58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the
fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus
said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
Prayer (based on
T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, we’ve had
enough of ourselves. We’re full of
ourselves and yet starving to death. So,
give us now the one who is true food and true drink: Jesus Christ crucified and
raised for our forgiveness and freedom.
And right while you’re at it, change me and your whole church, Lord:
create in us a new and right appetite for you and your will…’cause in the end
YOU taste waaay better and last waaay longer than pre-packaged religion or
anything we can cook up in our in the kitchen of our pride. I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Hymn: follow
this link to a beloved, classic hymn that gives further voice to today’s
conversation with the Lord: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOmUvcZBdHA
Benediction: The
God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in
hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (Romans
15.13)
*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
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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