To you O Lord, I lift up my soul

Verse for the week: God is light and in him is no darkness at all.  I John 1.5

Prayer for the week: Gracious Lord God, magnify the wisdom of your ways for us and grant that in childlike trust we may commit ourselves to your fatherly guidance.  Uphold us by your hand, guide us with your counsel, and receive us at last into glory; through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord.  Amen.” (adapted from, Kirchenbuch fur die Gemeinde (Isenhagen), quoted in Orate Fratres, p. 64). 

Bible reading for the day: Psalm 25.1-9 (note: This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet)

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
² O my God, in you I trust;
    let me not be put to shame;
    let not my enemies exult over me.
³ Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
    they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

⁴ Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
⁵ Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.

⁶ Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
    for they have been from of old.
⁷ Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
    according to your steadfast love remember me,
    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

⁸ Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
⁹ He leads the humble in what is right,
    and teaches the humble his way.

prayer(based on the TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty Father, unto you I lift up my soul. So soon, so subtly my enemies – the Devil, the world, and my sinful self – lie in wait to exult themselves over me. Thank you for defeating them on my behalf.  In Christ you have promised to remember me according to your steadfast love and mercy… teach me your paths now and every minute, lead me in your truth and teach me… for you are the God of my salvation. In Jesus’ name I pray, 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=0k1WhFtVp0o

“And lead us not into temptation…” The Sixth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer

What does this mean?

God indeed tempts no one to sin, but we pray in this petition that God would guard and protect us from this, that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or lead us into false belief, despair, and other great and shameful sins, but pray that when we are tempted in these ways, we may finally prevail and gain the victory. (from The Small Catechism by Martin Luther © Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

benediction:    The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

                        The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in

                        From this time on and forevermore.  Ps 121.7-8

*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.