A lion, a bear, and the Savior

Verse for the week: “Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!”  Psalm 70.1

Prayer for the week: “Almighty, everlasting God, you have promised us a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.  Direct us by your Spirit, that we may wait watchfully for the coming of your Son, and with holy lives go forth to meet him, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete für das jahr der Kirche, 2nd  ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p.235). 

Bible reading for the day: Amos 5.18-24 (note: The earliest of the prophets, his ministry dates from the reign of Jeroboam II (786-746 BC) and overlaps with the ministry of Hosea. Like Hosea, Amos preaches to the northern kingdom of Israel, though Amos himself is from Tekoa, a small town in the southern kingdom of Judah. Amos was not a professional prophet; he was a herdsman and an arborist. He was called by God from the care of flocks and sycamore trees in Judah to proclaim God’s word of judgment.)

 Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!
    Why would you have the day of the Lord?
It is darkness, and not light,
¹⁹     as if a man fled from a lion,
    and a bear met him,
or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,
    and a serpent bit him.
²⁰ Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,
    and gloom with no brightness in it?

²¹ “I hate, I despise your feasts,
    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
²² Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them;
and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,
    I will not look upon them.
²³ Take away from me the noise of your songs;
    to the melody of your harps I will not listen.
²⁴ But let justice roll down like waters,
    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you that in Christ Jesus you took the dark day of judgement upon yourself for our rescue. He is the end of our noisy, conspicuous attempts to please you… for he is just and our justifier. So, in our drought-stricken souls and world, let your justice and righteousness flow even through us. I ask this in Jesus’ name, 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=1LFe8b2U7wc&ab_channel=St.PaulLutheranChurchAustin

“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 now and in eternity.  (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.