What to do with your sins

Verse for the week:  What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?  Micah 6.8

Prayer: “Lord God, grant unto us your Holy Spirit that we may hear and accept your word, in order that, being cleansed in mind and renewed in life, we may live to you, here and hereafter; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” (K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirched, 2nd  ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p.207). 

Bible reading for the day:  James 5.13-20 (James, a leader of the church in Jerusalem and brother of the Lord, closes his letter with an exhortation to prayer, confession of our sins, and care of each other’s soul.)

¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. ¹⁸ Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

¹⁹ My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, ²⁰ let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Prayer (based on TRIP method*):  Gracious and almighty Father thank you that you are not a God who is deaf and mute; you speak to us and listen to us.  Thank you!  Repent me and your church of the pride that makes us unwilling to confess our sin and negligent in prayer…this only makes us sicker and causes us to betray you.  Don’t let us wander from the truth of your word. Guide us to listen to you and to speak to you…that souls may be saved and a ton of sin be forgiven.  I ask this in Jesus’ 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=8SCorW9r_Is

“Our Father, who art in heaven…”

What does this mean?

God encourages us to believe that he is truly our Father, and that we are truly his children, so we may boldly and confidently pray to him, just as beloved children speak to their dear father.  (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther ©Reclaim Resources, Sola Publishing, 2011)

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.