Revive us again, O Lord

Verse for the week: “Behold, I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me.” Malachi 3.1

Prayer for the 3^rd week of Advent: “Lord Jesus, our Light and our Salvation, you alone are the one who was to come to save us.  We thank you for your coming and for your will to perform in us again your saving work.  Rule us by your Holy Spirit, that henceforth we may wait for none other and put our trust in nothing in heaven or earth except you alone, our Lord.  Amen.” (Martin Moller, Thesaurus precationum, 1603; text in Gerhard Molwitz, Lutherisches Gebetbuch, p.41.)

Bible reading for the day:  Psalm 85 (In this post-exilic psalm, written sometime after 539 BC, rather than reject the Lord as they did prior to the Exile, the congregation and its song leader call on Yahweh for restoration and revival.)

Lord, you were favorable to your land;
    you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
² You forgave the iniquity of your people;
    you covered all their sin. Selah
³ You withdrew all your wrath;
    you turned from your hot anger.

⁴ Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
    and put away your indignation toward us!
⁵ Will you be angry with us forever?
    Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
⁶ Will you not revive us again,
    that your people may rejoice in you?
⁷ Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
    and grant us your salvation.

⁸ Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
    for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
    but let them not turn back to folly.
⁹ Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
    that glory may dwell in our land.

¹⁰ Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
    righteousness and peace kiss each other.
¹¹ Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
    and righteousness looks down from the sky.
¹² Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
    and our land will yield its increase.
¹³ Righteousness will go before him
    and make his footsteps a way.

Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Lord, thank you for your steadfast love and faithfulness to sinners like us in Christ. Speak to restore us again Lord, for we have no righteousness of our own… and like the early due of morning that is gone by noon, we forget your righteousness so soon. So speak, and give us yours 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=pAARmSI8IxQ  

“I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s 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, 2011)

Benediction: The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  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).  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.