The Day of the Lord

...is not for the proud.

Verse for the week: You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  Psalm 16.11

Prayer for the week: “Almighty God, draw our hearts to you, guide our minds, fill our imaginations, control our wills, so that we may be wholly yours.  Use us as you will, always to your glory and the welfare of your people; through your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.” (Prayer for Self-Dedication, Lutheran Book of Worship #203, Minister’s Edition, p. 111). 

Bible reading for the day: Zephaniah 1.7-16 (note: Z. preached to Judah & Jerusalem during the reign of Josiah (640-609 BC). His message proclaims clear judgment and hope. He decries pridefulness – both in Judah and among the nations – and lifts up the humble who call upon the Lord.)

Be silent before the Lord God!
    For the day of the Lord is near;
the Lord has prepared a sacrifice
    and consecrated his guests.
⁸ And on the day of the Lord's sacrifice—
“I will punish the officials and the king's sons
    and all who array themselves in foreign attire.
⁹ On that day I will punish
    everyone who leaps over the threshold,
and those who fill their master's house
    with violence and fraud.

¹⁰ “On that day,” declares the Lord,
    “a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,
a wail from the Second Quarter,
    a loud crash from the hills.
¹¹ Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar!
    For all the traders are no more;
    all who weigh out silver are cut off.
¹² At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,
    and I will punish the men
who are thickening on the dregs of their wine,
    those who say in their hearts,
‘The Lord will not do good,
    nor will he do ill.’
¹³ Their goods shall be plundered,
    and their houses laid waste.
Though they build houses,
    they shall not inhabit them;
though they plant vineyards,
    they shall not drink wine from them.”

¹⁴ The great day of the Lord is near,
    near and hastening fast;
the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter;
    the mighty man cries aloud there.
¹⁵ A day of wrath is that day,
    a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
    a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness,
¹⁶     a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities
    and against the lofty battlements.

Prayer (based on TRIP* method):  Gracious and almighty Father, your promised day is both near and yet not yet. On that day and every day leading to it, my only hope is in Christ. The proud will be punished, the fat, drunk and content will be cut off and wail. Do the good and the ill that you will, O Lord; in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a “old school” hymn (😊, yes the tune is minor and mournful, but what did Zephaniah just say to us?) …that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNJ3JMWpo2w&ab_channel=TheLutheranOrganist

“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 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, 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.