Riding on Christ's back

Verse for the week: “Make me understand the way of your commandments that I may meditate on your marvelous works.”   Psalm 119.27

Prayer for this week: “Almighty God, you set your Son over the works of your hands, so that even the rebellious spirits must obey him.  Grant your word its native power that your kingdom may grow and increase and all creation be delivered into the glorious liberty of your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (K.B. Ritter, Gebete für das jahr der Kirche, 2^nd  ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p.86 )

Bible reading for the day:  Psalm 15

¹ LORD, who may dwell in your sacred tent?

   Who may live on your holy mountain?

 

 ² The one whose walk is blameless,

   who does what is righteous,

   who speaks the truth from their heart;

³ whose tongue utters no slander,

   who does no wrong to a neighbor,

   and casts no slur on others;

⁴ who despises a vile person

   but honors those who fear the LORD;

who keeps an oath even when it hurts,

   and does not change their mind;

⁵ who lends money to the poor without interest;

   who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.

 

   Whoever does these things

   will never be shaken.

Prayer (based on TRIP* method): Gracious and almighty Lord, thank you for the one

Who is blameless,

Who is righteous,

Who is the truth,

And who kept his oath even when it hurt…when it hurt unto death.

Thank you for Jesus…it is only on his back that I ride to your holy mountain and live in your sacred tent.  Thank you! Repent me and your church of trading Christ’s righteousness for our own will and ways. Load me and all my sin up onto Jesus and him into me…that I may never be shaken.  I ask this in his 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=DWdNgXSd46Y

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, 2011)

Benediction: Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. Amen.  II Thess 2.16-17

 

*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.