Who shall I praise?

Verse for the week: The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. I John 4.21

Prayer for the week: “Dear Father in heaven, into your hands I commend my body and soul and all things. Let your holy angels have charge of me, that the old evil foe may have no power over me; through Jesus Christ, your dear Son. Amen.” (excerpt from Martin Luther’s morning prayer)

Bible reading for the day: Psalm 146

Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
² I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
    I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
 ³ Put not your trust in princes,
    in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
⁴ When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.
 
⁵ Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord his God,
⁶ who made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
⁷     who executes justice for the oppressed,
    who gives food to the hungry.
    whose hope is in the Lord his God,
⁶ who made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
⁷     who executes justice for the oppressed,
    who gives food to the hungry.
 
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
⁸     the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
    the Lord loves the righteous.
⁹ The Lord watches over the sojourners;
    he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
    but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
 
¹⁰ The Lord will reign forever,
    your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
    your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!

Prayer (based on TRIP* method): Gracious and almighty Father, in Christ your kingdom indeed comes for me; in him, you who made heaven and earth execute justice and forgiveness for sinners like us. Thank you! Deliver me and your whole church from putting our trust in princes and potentates of this world: their breath departs and their plans perish. I will praise you, O Lord, as long as I live… O my soul, praise the Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCnQNwQG5GI

“Thy kingdom come…”

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

When does this happen?  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 heaven forever. (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

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).  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.