Verse for the week: Bear one another’s burdens,
and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians
6.2
Prayer for the week:
“Lord, take our bodies and our minds and make them wholly yours. So
increase your grace in us that not our own desires but your holy will may rule
us all in all; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirched, 2nd ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p. 185).
Bible reading for the day: Luke 9.51, and 10.25-37
9.51When
the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem…
10.25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him
to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26
He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27
And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and
your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have
answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said
to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was
going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped
him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by
chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on
the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place
and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he
journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34
He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he
set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35
And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper,
saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I
come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a
neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The
one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
Prayer (based on
T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you that
your Son took the road of the cross to bring us home. Kill off all of my excuses, my
self-justification attempts… they only get in the way of my seeing and serving
my neighbor. Now that your word is in my
ears, make your mercy real in my life and in the life of my congregation… teach
us daily to walk the walk like your Son did. I ask this his name, amen.
Hymn: follow this
link to a beloved, classic hymn which gives further voice to today’s
conversation with the Lord: https://vimeo.com/46203440
“Hallowed be thy
name…”
What does this
mean?
God's name is indeed holy in itself, but we pray in this
petition that it may be kept holy also among us.
How is this done?
God's name is hallowed when his Word is taught in its truth
and purity and we, as God's children, lead holy lives in harmony with it. Grant
this to us, dear Father in heaven! But whoever teaches and lives in ways other
than what God's Word teaches dishonors the name of God among us. Prevent us
from doing this, heavenly Father! (from The Small Catechism, by Martin
Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
Benediction: The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the
Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. II Cor 13.14
*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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