Verse for the week: “… there is need of only one
thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10.42
Prayer for the week:
“Almighty and everlasting God, through your Son you have assured us forgiveness
of sins and deliverance from eternal death.
Strengthen us by your Holy Spirit, that we may daily increase in this
faith and hold fast the hope that when we die, we shall but fall asleep and on
the last day be raised to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (Kirchenbuch fur die Gemeinde (Isenhagen),
quoted in Orate Fratres, Gebetsordnung
fur evangelische-lutherische Pfarrer, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1952,
p.84).
Bible reading for the day: Luke 9.51-62
51 When the days drew near for him to be taken
up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers
ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make
preparations for him. 53 But the people did not receive him, because
his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James
and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down
from heaven and consume them?” 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56
And they went on to another village.
57 As they were going along the road, someone
said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said
to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man
has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.”
But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And
Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go
and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will
follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus
said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for
the kingdom of God.”
Prayer (based on
T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for
sending Jesus to do what must be done… rather than what is convenient and
preferable to us. Repent me and my brothers and sisters of our impatience and
our excuses. Jesus set his face right to
it in order to transform and forgive us… set our feet right behind him. I ask this in his name, amen.
What is the
significance of baptizing with water?
It signifies that the old Adam in us, together with all sins
and evil desires, should be drowned by daily sorrow for sin and repentance and
be put to death, and that the new person should come forth every day and rise
to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Where is this written?
Saint Paul says in
Romans, “We were buried therefore with him by Baptism into death, in order
that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we
too might walk in newness of life” Romans 6.4(from The Small Catechism,
by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
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:
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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