Verse for the week: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the
humble. I Peter 5.5
Prayer for the week: “Almighty, everlasting God, mercifully regard us who
have been made your children through baptism and, according to your grace,
grant that your promises may be fulfilled in us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur
das jahr der Kirched, 2nd ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p. 183).
Bible reading for the day: John 6.35-51
35 Jesus
said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger,
and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and
yet do not believe. 37 All
that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I
will never cast out. 38 For I
have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of
him who sent me. 39 And this
is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all
that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the
will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in
him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am
the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is not this
Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say,
‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not
grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father
who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It
is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who
has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 not that anyone
has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly,
truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the
bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and
they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that
one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came
down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the
bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
Hymn: follow
this link to a beloved classic which gives further voice to today’s
conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDdvReNKKuk
“I believe in the Holy Spirit…”
What does this mean?
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or
strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him; but the Holy Spirit
has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified
and preserved me in the true faith. In the same way, he calls, gathers,
enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and preserves
it in unity with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church,
he daily forgives abundantly all my sins and the sins of all believers. At the
last day, he will raise me and all the dead and will grant everlasting life to
me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly true! (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
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.
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