Verse for the week:
As you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my
family, you did it to me. Matt 25.40
Prayer: “Merciful
God, kindle in our hearts the fire of your love, that we may serve you and our
neighbor, according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete
fur das jahr der Kirched, 2nd ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p. 199).
Bible reading for the day: Psalm 15
O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is
right
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
Prayer (based on
T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for
taking me and my brothers & sisters into Christ, for only in him are we
blameless… only in him do we speak the truth, do the right, and dwell with
you. Repent us of the un-holiness that
does not befit your people. Grant that all our worship and life – our walk, our
speech, our sight, and our habits with money – may be acceptable in your sight;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Hymn: follow this
link to a beloved hymn that gives further voice to today’s conversation with
the Lord: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Byp7aK2DA
(you can skip the ad that will appear first)
I believe in Jesus
Christ, his 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: Now
may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through
grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen
them in every good work and word.
Amen. II Thess 2.16-17
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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