Verse for the week: “What does the Lord your God require of you? Only to
fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord
your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep his
commandments…” Deuteronomy 10.12-13a
Prayer for the week: “Almighty God, you richly and unceasingly furnish us
with all good things and preserve us day by day. Make us to acknowledge this with our whole
heart, that we may thank and praise you for your lovingkindness and mercy here
and for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirched, 2nd
ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p.
200).
Bible reading for the day: Philippians
2.1-11
1 So
if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love,
any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete
my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full
accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing
from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others
more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of
you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of
others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is
yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was
in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be
grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the
form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And
being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the
point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God
has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above
every name, 10 so that at the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Hymn: follow
this link to a beloved, classic hymn which gives further voice to today’s
conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Vk59SHSWs
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?
St. Paul writes in Romans 6: “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 ESV). (from
The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola
Publishing, 2011)
benediction: And after
you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you
to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and
establish you this day. To him be the
power forever and ever. Amen. (1
Pet 5:10)
*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:
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment