Verse for the week: “He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick.” Matthew 12.20
Prayer for the week: Father of mercies, by the death
and resurrection of Jesus you have both bound our sin and forgiven it. Pour out
your Holy Spirit and teach us to do likewise for each other; we ask this in the
name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Bible reading for the day: Psalm 32.1-7
1 O Blessed is the one
whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom
the Lord counts no iniquity,
and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
3 For when I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my strength was dried up as by the heat of
summer. Selah
5 I acknowledged my
sin to you,
and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
6 Therefore let everyone
who is godly
offer prayer to you at a time when you may be
found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah
8 I will instruct you
and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
or it will not stay near you.
10 Many are the sorrows of
the wicked,
but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in
the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
prayer(based on the TRIP* method): Gracious
and almighty Father, thank you for forgiving all my sin in Jesus Christ.
Deliver me from mulish pride and from complicit silence… these conceal my sin
only from myself and cause it to fester in my bones. Rest my trust in you
rather than in my self and teach me always to call on you quickly… for you are
always ready to be found and to come to my deliverance. In Jesus’ name I pray,
amen.
Hymn: follow this link to a newer rendition of a
beloved, classic hymn that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the
Lord, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzbTc8A7sRI
“I am the Lord your God.” Exodus 20.1
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT: “You shall have no other
gods before me.” Ex 20.2
What does this mean? We are to fear, love, and trust
God above all things.
“Our Father who art in heaven…”
What does this mean?
Here 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)
*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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