Peace with God

Verse for the week: “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them.”  II Cor 5.19

Prayer for the week: Heavenly Father, you sent your Son to us and laid on him the burden of the cross that we might see and know the glory of your holy love.  Grant that our faith in him may not be shaken by adversity or daunted by the threat of it, but that we may ever follow steadfastly the way that leads to perfect fellowship with him, and so with you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  (Charles M. Jacobs in Paul Z. Strodach, Collects and Prayers, Philadelphia: Board of Publications of the United Lutheran Church in America; 1935, p.166.)

Bible reading for the day: Romans 5.1-11 (The center hub of the entire Bible is Christ crucified and raised for the forgiveness of sins. Writing to the Romans in 56AD, Paul is crystal clear that Christ’s work is not for the righteous but for sinners… including you and me.)

¹Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ² Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

⁶ For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— ⁸ but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. ¹¹ More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Prayer (based on TRIP* method):  Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for Christ crucified for us sinners and for our salvation. In him alone we have full access to your grace. He alone is our peace. For in him the enmity between my pride and you is ended… because in him my pride dies… and finally I am reconciled to you and saved by his life rather than my own. Thank you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a brief hymn that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bcFe2cPFAA

“I believe in Jesus Christ… ”

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)

Benediction:  The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.  Phil 4.7

 

 

*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.