The end of my Little Jack Horner

 ...and yours, too.

Verse for the week: “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.”  Psalm 146.5

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: Hebrews 9.24-28 (note: Written in 95 AD, the letter to the Hebrews declares that Christ has ended our repeated attempts to present God a righteousness of our own through our sacrifices. Faith now trusts in Christ and his once for all sacrifice as our righteousness.)

For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. ²⁵ Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, ²⁶ for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, ²⁸ so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Gracious and almighty Father, in Christ my pride’s repeated attempts to show you what a good boy I am are all finally put away… for He is the truth: your righteousness for us, the unrighteous. Thank you!! Now your whole church and I are freed to live godly lives here in the present while we eagerly await his return to save us. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Hymn: follow this link to a beloved hymn that gives further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyavAoOlsIo&ab_channel=MartijndeGroot

“Hallowed be thy name…

What does this mean?  God’s name is certainly holy in itself, but we ask in this prayer that we may keep it holy.

When does this happen?  God’s name is hallowed whenever his Word is taught in its truth and purity and we as children of God live in harmony with it. Help us to do this, heavenly Father!  But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to the Word of God dishonors God’s name among us. Keep us from doing this, heavenly Father!  (from The Small Catechism, by Martin Luther)

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.