True food rather than...

Verse for the week: Whoever hears you hears me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.”  Luke 10.16

Prayer for the week:  Almighty and merciful God, our salvation depends not on human will or exertion, but on you alone who has mercy on whom you will. Convict us according to your judgments and give us new life according to your promise, that we may be justified in your Son and be saved through him, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Bible reading for the day:  Isaiah 55.1-5  (Following the Exile to Babylon, 587-539BC, the Lord returns his beloved, rebellious people home… both physically and spiritually.)

¹ “Come, everyone who thirsts,
    come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without price.
² Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
    and delight yourselves in rich food.
³ Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
⁴ Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
⁵ Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
    and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you.

Prayer (based on the TRIP* method): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for the true wine and true food who is Jesus Christ.  Repent me and your church of spending money and laboring for what does not satisfy. Incline our ears, our appetites, and our work to you O Lord…that we may delight in true food and invite others to the hearty, lifelong meal that is life as Jesus’ disciple.  I ask this in his name, amen.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord…

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 ©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 generations, 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.