Prayer for the week: Almighty and everlasting God, in the wonder of Christ’s death and
resurrection, you held not our sin against us and entrusted your message to
us. Grant that all who have been reborn
into the fellowship of Christ’s body may be ambassadors for him, showing forth
in our lives the faith we confess; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (adapted
from The Book of Common Prayer, based on II Corinthians 5)
Bible reading for the day: Psalm 146
1 Praise
the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets
the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
prayer(based on the TRIP**
method): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for the true help, the
one who rescues me from my own sin, death, and the devil: your Son, Jesus
Christ, my Lord. Thank you! Repent me and your whole church of looking to
princes, presidents, human governments for life, liberty, and happiness; no son
or daughter of man can generate these gifts. Establish our trust in you, O
Lord, and vouchsafe unto us in the meantime government that is not that bad. I
ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
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=s7OCs0d_4vM
“I believe in Jesus Christ…
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: May the God of peace himself grow you in his will
entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The
one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. Amen. I Thess 5.23
*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.
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