Verse for the week: Whoever hears you hears me, and whoever rejects you
rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Luke 10.16
Prayer for the week: “Lord God, heavenly Father, you have bound us together in one body
through your Holy Spirit. Help us to
serve one another willingly and forgive one another from our hearts; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (K.B.
Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirched, 1st
ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1933, p. 74).
Bible reading for the day: Luke 11.1-13
Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and
when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to
pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he
said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,
4 and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,
4 and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him
at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for
a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before
him’;7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother
me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up
and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he
will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet
because of his persistence he will rise and give him whatever he
needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will
be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives,
and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What
father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give
him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will
give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are
evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
prayer(based on
the TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty
Father, thank you for teaching us to pray, to ask of you… and thank you for
answering all our prayers in Christ Jesus. We are evil so our default mode, our
nature is to ask for our will instead of yours. Each hour, teach me and my
congregation the freedom that comes in praying against our sinful selves and in
asking for your name to work, your kingdom to come and your will
be done. Bring these, Lord… I am asking in Jesus’ name, amen.
Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic that gives
further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26rq0spuLao
“Our Father who art in heaven…”
What does this mean?
God encourages us to believe
that he is truly our Father, and that we are truly his children, so we may
boldly and confidently pray to him, just as beloved children speak to their
dear father. (from “The Small Catechism”
by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
benediction:
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish
abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the
church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph
3:20-21)
*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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