praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the Lord!” Psalm 148.14
Prayer for the week: Lord God almighty, every year you renew the face of the earth, and it is your will to renew the world fallen into sin and death. Grant us faith so that we may know in your Son the dawning of the true life and daily be made into his new creation; for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Bible reading for the day: John 20.19-31
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26 Eight
days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with
them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and
said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to
Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand,
and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas
answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus
said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you: the fears, doubts and locked doors of your chosen ones don’t stop you at all. You walk right in on us to give us not a scolding… but your peace… and our mission: the forgiving and retaining of sins. Each day, give me and my congregation the faith to trust you… that sin’s power may be bound and we and the rest of your elect may have life 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=N63fQ93OTiE 1
“I believe in Jesus Christ…”
I believe that Jesus Christ – true God, Son of the Father from eternity, and true man, born of the virgin Mary – is my Lord.
At great cost he has saved and redeemed me, a lost and condemned person.
He has freed me from sin, death, and the power of the devil – not with silver or gold, but with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death.
All this he has done that I may be his own, live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as he is risen from the dead and lives and rules eternally.
This is most certainly true.
*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.
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