At last...

Verse for the week: “The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, “Glory!” Psalm 29

Prayer for the week: Almighty God, gracious Father, you indeed are not a silent God, but the God who speaks. You have spoken that in the fight against the devil, the world, and our sinful selves it is not good for man to be alone. Speak today that our understanding of the calling of marriage may be strengthened and all households may be built up by you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, amen.

Bible reading for the day: Genesis 2.18-24 

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” ¹⁹ Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. ²¹ So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. ²² And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³ Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
    because she was taken out of Man.”

²⁴ Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. ²⁵ And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

Prayer (based on the TRIP* method): (note: for those with the rare gift of celibacy, this prayer will not quite fit; yet even the celibate among us are called to uphold and encourage the estate of marriage) Gracious and almighty Father, it is not a dog or a bird or a horse that you have picked to be my best help and friend, it is at last, bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh, my wife/husband. Thank you! Thank you for establishing marriage as the first weapon in your array against loneliness and the devil. When it comes to marriage, deliver me from the deadly trap of listening to my own voice instead of yours… and grant even to my beloved and me a marriage under Christ where there is no shame. In Jesus’ name I ask this, amen.

Hymn: just for fun, it’s not a hymn, but it is based on today’s reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQc0xu2r4-U

The Fourth Commandment

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20.12

What does this mean?

We should fear and love God so that we do not show contempt for our parents and others in authority, nor provoke them to anger, but respect, obey, serve, love, and honor them. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

benediction: The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.  (Philippians 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.