Verse for the week:
What does the Lord require of your but to do justice, and to love
kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6.8
Prayer: “Lord
God, grant unto us your Holy Spirit that we may hear and accept your word, in order
that, being cleansed in mind and renewed in life, we may live to you, here and
hereafter; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” (K.B.
Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirched, 2nd
ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p.207).
Bible
reading for the day: James 5.13-20
13
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing
praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of
the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of
the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick,
and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be
forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray
for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has
great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like
ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and
six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again,
and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
19
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone
brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner
from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of
sins.
Prayer (based on TRIP
method**): Gracious and
almighty Father thank you that you are not a God who is deaf and mute; you
speak to us and listen to us. Thank
you! Repent me and your church our
unwillingness to confess our sin and our negligence in prayer…these only make
us sicker and cause us to betray you.
Don’t let us wander from the truth of your word. Guide us to listen to
you and to speak to you…that souls may be saved and a ton of sin be
forgiven. 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: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SCorW9r_Is
“Our Father, who art in heaven…”
What does this
mean?
God encourages us to believe that he is truly our Father,
and that we are truly his children, so we may boldly and confidently pray to
him, just as beloved children speak to their dear father. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin
Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
Benediction: The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. Phil 4.7
*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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