Restore us, O Lord

Verse for the week:  Our Savior Christ Jesus…abolished death and brought life and immortality to light. II Timothy 1.10

Prayer for the week:  “Our Lord Jesus, you have endured the doubts and foolish questions of every generation. Forgive us for trying to be judge over you, and grant us the confident faith to confess you as Lord. Amen” (Lutheran Book of Worship). 

Bible reading for the day:  Psalm 80.7-19 (note: the “vine” which God brought out of Egypt is his people, who flourished and then rebelled against him)

⁷ Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

⁸ You brought a vine out of Egypt;
    you drove out the nations and planted it.
⁹ You cleared the ground for it;
    it took deep root and filled the land.
¹⁰ The mountains were covered with its shade,
    the mighty cedars with its branches.
¹¹ It sent out its branches to the sea
    and its shoots to the River.
¹² Why then have you broken down its walls,
    so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
¹³ The boar from the forest ravages it,
    and all that move in the field feed on it.

¹⁴ Turn again, O God of hosts!
    Look down from heaven, and see;
   have regard for this vine,
¹⁵    the stock that your right hand planted,
    and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
¹⁶ They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
    may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
¹⁷ But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
    the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
¹⁸ Then we shall not turn back from you;
    give us life, and we will call upon your name!

¹⁹ Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
    Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

 Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Gracious and almighty Lord, thank you for your right-hand man, your son, Jesus Christ and his rescue of us.  You transplanted our forebears from slavery in Egypt to the promised land…and then they fell into slavery to themselves. Repent us of the same slavery. Restore us, O Lord, and teach us – even when it takes the hard way – teach us to call on your name, Jesus’ name. Amen.

Song: here’s what Josh Turner sings about God’s right-hander: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHRWteKVDSY

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)

Benediction:  The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.  Phil 4.7

 

*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.