Bethlehem = the backdoor

Invitatory: My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.  Lk 1.46-47

Prayer for the 4th week of Advent: “Lord, purify our hearts that they may be worthy to become your dwelling place.  Let us never fail to find room for you, but come and abide with us that we also may abide in you, for you were born into the world for us and now live and reign, King of kings and Lord of lords, for evermore.  Amen.”  (William Temple in A.E. Baker, William Temple’s Teaching,  Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1951, p.128)

Bible reading for the day:  Micah 5.2-6 (note: In the 8^th century B.C., our forebears’ sin was unfaithfulness in worship and neglect of the poor.  By this, God’s beloved people brought distress upon themselves…and here God promises to deliver them from this distress.)

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days.
³Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has given birth;
then the rest of his brothers shall return
to the people of Israel.
⁴And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
to the ends of the earth.
⁵And he shall be their peace.

When the Assyrian comes into our land
and treads in our palaces,
then we will raise against him seven shepherds
and eight princes of men;
⁶they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;
and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian
when he comes into our land
and treads within our border.

Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Lord, through the little, back door of Bethlehem you come to deliver us from our distress and disobedience…thank you… thank you for redeeming proud wanderers like us, for feeding us not more of ourselves but feeding us your strength in Jesus Christ. Thank you! Repent me and your church from turning to any other shepherd but him.  Our foes are real, Lord: the devil, the world and our sinful selves. So, with the two-edged sword of your word, rescue us from them and set us daily on the only ground that is good and true: Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

Hymn:  follow this link to a beloved Christmas hymn that connects with today’s conversation with our Lord:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpHY3jU27dc

Benediction: Blessing and honor and thanksgiving and praise, more than we can utter, more than we can conceive, be unto thee, O holy and glorious Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, by all angels, all people, all creatures, forever and ever. Amen. (Thomas Ken quoted in Frederick B. Macnutt, The Prayer Manual   London: Mowbray, 1951, p.39) 

*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.