Verse for the week: Prepare the way of the
Lord...behold, the Lord comes with might.” Isaiah 40:3,10
Prayer for the 2nd week of Advent: “Lord,
accept our prayer and supplication, and grant that we may heed the call of John
to prepare the way for your Son, and receive him into our hearts, that we may
become your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (K. B.
Ritter, Gebete fur das Jahr der Kirche, 2nd ed. Kassel
Bible
reading for the day: Luke 3.1-6
In
the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being
governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip
tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of
Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the
word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And
he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the
book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“The voice of one crying
in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and
almighty Lord, thank you for sending Jesus into history for our repentance and
forgiveness…to straighten out crooked sinners like us. Repent me and your whole church of the
self-esteem that deafens our ears to your voice. Fill my ears with your voice…make a highway
straight to us… come at us with your Living Word now… so that we and all flesh
may see our salvation in him, Jesus Christ, our Lord. In his name I ask this, amen.
hymn: follow this
link to a scene from G.F. Handel’s “Messiah” which gives further voice to
today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvUBF3kU7qk
“Thy kingdom come…”
What does this mean?
The kingdom of God comes indeed by itself, without our
prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may also come to us.
How is this done?
God's kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us his
Holy Spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy Word and live a godly
life now and in eternity. (from “The
Small Catechism” by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
Benediction:
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom
I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 147.10-11
*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:
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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