Verse for the week: Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;
and
you that have no money, come, buy and eat!
Is 55.1
Prayer for the week: Lord Jesus Christ, you walked the way of the cross as the obedient servant of God. Open our ears and teach us by your Spirit, that we may not rebel but walk in the obedience of disciples who have learned from you, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, now and forever. Amen. [John W. Doberstein, Minister’s Prayer Book, Fortress Press, Philadelphia, 1986 p.82]
Bible reading for the day: I Kings 18.17-40
When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you
troubler of Israel?” 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled
Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the
commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore
send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal
and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.”
20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come
near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of
the Lord that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones,
according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of
the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and with the
stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about
the altar, as great as would contain two seahs (1 seah equals 7 quarts) of seed. 33
And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on
the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt
offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.”
And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did
it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled
the trench also with water.
36 And at the time of the offering of the
oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and
that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37
Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord,
are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the
fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the
stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And
when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is
God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the
prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah
brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
Prayer (based on TRIP* method): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for being our Lord and giving us your name so we can call on you in every need and thanksgiving. Repent us limping between two opinions, of calling on ourselves or some god of our own making who is busy relieving himself or sleeping… a god who has no voice and pays no attention. Precisely when the Devil, the world, and our sinful self contend against us, precisely when your altar appears all wet… grant us to call on you that we and all the people may know that you are Lord and God, you and you alone. I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Hymn: follow this link to a beloved classic that gives further voice to today’s conversation the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF1uBXvQwPI
The Second Commandment
You shall not You shall not take the name of
the Lord your God in vain; for the Lord will not hold guiltless those who take
his name in vain. (Exodus
20.7)
What does this
mean?
We should fear and love God so that we do not
use his name superstitiously or to curse, swear, lie, or deceive, but call upon
him in every time of need and in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. (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
T: thanksgiving
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