Love is not a sentiment...

Verse for the week: If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (I John 1.7) 

Prayer for the week: Almighty and everlasting God, in the wonder of Christ’s death and resurrection, you reconciled the world to yourself 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 what we profess by our faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen.  (from The Book of Common Prayer, based on II Corinthians 5)

Bible reading for the day:  I John 4.7-12 (Not to be confused with the gospel of John, First John is a letter written about sixty years after Christ’s resurrection.  False teachers locate the source of love in the human self.  John locates the source in Jesus Christ.)

   Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹ Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.¹² No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Prayer (based on the TRIP* method): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you, this is love manifest and full-on: Jesus Christ, crucified and raised for the forgiveness of our sins. Thank you! All of our own efforts at love fall short… and any true manifestation of love comes from you. So, take over every hour; evict our proud selves and abide in us. Reign where you already have the right to reign and perfect your love in me and my congregation. I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic hymn that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uP0tEceh8Bg

Thy kingdom come…

What does this mean?  The kingdom of God comes indeed by itself, without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may also come to us.

How is this done?  God’s kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us his Holy Spirit, so that by his grace we believe his holy Word and live a godly life on earth now and in eternity. (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.