Verse for the week: “For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my
hope is from him.” Psalm 62.5
Prayer for this week: “Lord, open our ears and hearts, that we may heed
your hidden wisdom and let your word be the light to our path. Speak to us through your living word, that we
may obey your call and follow him whom you have sent, Jesus Christ our Savior,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
(K.B. Ritter, Gebete für das jahr
der Kirche, 2nd ed.
Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p.180 )
Bible reading for the day: I Corinthians
1.10-18
10
I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of
you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in
the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to
me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What
I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or
“I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was
Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I
thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so
that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did
baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I
baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but
to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of
Christ be emptied of its power.
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Prayer (based on TRIP** method): Gracious and almighty Lord, thank you: Christ – and
no other – is the one to follow. Each day bring my brothers and sisters and me
to the foot of his cross and repent us of needless divisions and quarrels. Unite us in mind and mission under Christ’s
lordship…so that we may both live by and preach the powerful folly of the
cross. In Jesus’ name I ask this, amen.
Hymn: follow
this link to a hymn that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the
Lord (not the best rendition, but the best I could find): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKQJJ6xz1K0
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son,
our Lord…
What does this mean?
I believe that Jesus Christ —
true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the
Virgin Mary — is my Lord. He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature,
and has freed me from sin, death, and the power of the devil, not with silver
and gold, but with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and
death. He has done all this in order that I might be his own, live under him in
his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and
blessedness, even as he is risen from the dead and lives and reigns for all
eternity. This is most certainly true! (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther
©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)
Benediction: The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep
your life.
The Lord will keep your going out and your
coming in
From this time on and forevermore. Ps
121.7-8
*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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