God's handwriting

...on your heart

Verse for the week:  It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith from Jesus.  Romans 3.26

Prayer for the week:  “Almighty God, gracious Lord, pour out your Holy Spirit upon your faithful people.  Keep us steadfast in your word, protect and comfort us in all temptations, defend us against all our enemies, and bestow on the church your saving peace; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” (Lutheran Book of Worship, p.36)

Bible reading for the day:  Jeremiah 31.31-34 (note: Jeremiah prophesied in Jerusalem from 627-580 BC, during the time leading up to the Exile to Babylon. Even as the Lord disciplines his people for breaking his former covenant with them, the Lord declares that he will make a NEW covenant with them: not one that presses externally as a demand, but a covenant which the yet-to-come Messiah and his Holy Spirit will write internally on their hearts.)

³¹ “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, ³² not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. ³³ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ³⁴ And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method**): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for writing your will on my heart in Jesus Christ, crucified and raised for our forgiveness. Thank you!  Repent me and your whole church of breaking your covenant with us…preferring our own handwriting… chasing after other gods… making your promises into projects. Carve afresh on our hearts and minds each day with your living word…that we may indeed know you, our Lord, and live accordingly.  I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a classic, not often sung hymn (probably because postmodern Americans don’t like songs in a minor key). Likely you may not know the tune, but the text gives profound voice to the reading from Jeremiah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_Ty3Hk-7IU (“O God, O Lord of Heaven and Earth” by Martin Franzman)

“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:  The God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.  (Romans 15.13)

*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.