Wisdom for fools like us

Verse for the week: “The creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God.”           Romans 8.19

Prayer for this week: “O God, our heavenly Father, since we cannot stand before you with our own works, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts that we may be comforted by your mercy and by your help overcome all that torments us because of our sins; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (K.B. Ritter, Gebete für das jahr der Kirche, 2^nd  ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p.94 )

Bible reading for the day: Proverbs 21.16-20

    One who wanders from the way of good sense
    will rest in the assembly of the dead.
¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man;
    he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
¹⁸ The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,
    and the traitor for the upright.
¹⁹ It is better to live in a desert land
    than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.
²⁰ Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling,
    but a foolish man devours it.

Prayer (based on TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for your wisdom: Christ crucified and raised for a sinner like me. Guard me against my own foolishness, against wandering from him, and against loving my own pleasure. Teach me to receive all my daily bread with thanksgiving and to use it wisely rather than devour it… that I may be an effective witness for thee. In Jesus’ name I ask this, amen.

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

What does this mean?

God indeed gives daily bread to all sinners, even without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that he would help us to recognize this so that we would receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

What is meant by daily bread?

Daily bread includes everything required to meet our earthly needs, such as food, drink, clothing, home, property, employment, necessities, devout parents, children, and communities, honest and faithful authorities, good government, seasonable weather, peace, health, an orderly society, a good reputation, true friends and neighbors, and the like. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

Hymn: here are the lyrics and a link to the tune of a beloved, simple Swedish hymn which gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord:

“Day by Day, Your Mercies Lord Attend Me” by Carolina Sandell Berg (1832-1903) tr. By Robert Leaf, b.1936

Day by day, your mercies, Lord attend me, bringing comfort to my anxious soul.

Day by day, the blessings, Lord, you send me draw me nearer to my heavenly goal.

Love divine, beyond all mortal measure, brings to naught the burden of my quest;

Savior, lead me to the home I treasure, where at last I’ll find eternal rest.

Day by day, I know you will provide me strength to serve and wisdom to obey;

I will seek your loving will to guide me o’er the paths I struggle day by day.

I will fear no evil of the morrow, I will trust in your enduring grace.

Savior, help me bear life’s pain and sorrow till in glory I behold your face.

Oh, what joy to know that you are near me when my burdens grow too great to bear;

Oh, what joy to know that you will hear me when I come, O Lord, to you in prayer.

Day by day, no matter what betide me, you will hold me ever in your hand.

Savior, with your presence here to guide me, I will reach at last the promised land.

Tune by Oskar Ahnfelt (1813-1882): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxxc4uNdzJA

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 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.