Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for taking the betrayers' cup - mine even - and swallowing our betrayal - even mine - to the dregs... and thank you for pouring yourself out for me and a race of betrayers... that we may drink in our forgiveness, life, and salvation. In your name, amen.
Dear Lord, thank you for suffering the cross... cruel death... and for rising... so that my sin, my death and the devil may be defeated. And thank you for this memorable woman who teaches me to give and to live according to your will rather than my own; in Jesus' name. Amen.
In these Six Days to Die, today is Wasteful Wednesday: https://www.nbstpaul.org/holyweek/
Dear heavenly Father, thank you that Jesus took to the cross in order to put our enemies - sin, death, and the devil - under his feet. By your grace Lord, you alone shall have my heart, soul and mind; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
In these Six Days to Die, today is Teaching Tuesday: https://www.nbstpaul.
Gracious and almighty Father, help me to love the glory that comes from you more than that which comes from man; in Jesus' name I pray. Amen. (John 12.43)
I invite you to use the "Six Days to Die" resource and readings for your devotions each day this week. The living Word will speak to you.
Today is Mystery Monday. https://www.nbstpaul.
Prayer for the week: Lord God, our strength, the battle of good
and evil rages within and around us, and our ancient foe tempts us with his
deceits and empty promises. Keep us steadfast in your Word and, when we fall,
raise us again and restore us through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Lutheran Book of Worship)
Bible reading for the day: Psalm 118 (note: the
Psalmist has first-hand experience with distress. Finally, instead of trusting
in governments (v.9), man (v.8), or himself, he has been pushed so hard that he
called on the Lord. The Lord’s steadfast love (Hebrew: hesed) is the
refrain of this song. V.1-4 are a communal song of thanksgiving, performed
antiphonally with the congregation. The large midsection (v.5-21) is an
individual confession of thanksgiving. The concluding section (v.22-29) lets
the voices of both the congregation and the individual be heard.)
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 Out of my distress
I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me free.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not
fear.
What can man do to me?
7 The Lord is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take
refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
10 All nations surrounded
me;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees;
they went out like a fire among thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my
strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
15 Glad songs of salvation
are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,
16 the right hand of
the Lord exalts,
the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”
17 I shall not die, but I
shall live,
and recount the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord has disciplined me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of
righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord's doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we pray,
O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord!
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God, and I
will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Gracious and almighty Father, indeed, your
steadfast love endures forever. Christ Jesus - the stone that the builders
rejected - has become the cornerstone. Alleluia! One day I shall die and
finally praise you face-to-face. For now, I shall live and recount your deeds
instead of my own. Keep on binding me and my congregation to you and to each
other, for Christ alone is our strength, our song, and our salvation. Amen
Hymn: follow this link to a new hymn that gives
further voice to today’s conversation with the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3HH__-1Zbs
“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory; forever and ever. Amen.”
What does “amen” mean? Amen means Yes, it shall be so.
We say amen because we are certain that such petitions (as in the Lord’s
Prayer) are pleasing to our Father in heaven and are heard by him. For he
himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us. (from “The Small Catechism” by Martin
Luther)
Benediction: “Oh give thanks to
the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble.” Psalm 107.1-2
*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.
Prayer for the week: Lord God, our strength, the battle of good
and evil rages within and around us, and our ancient foe tempts us with his
deceits and empty promises. Keep us steadfast in your Word and, when we fall,
raise us again and restore us through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Lutheran Book of Worship)
Bible reading for the day: John 12.12-19
The next day the large crowd that had come to the
feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So
they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying
out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,
even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a
young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,
15 “Fear not, daughter of
Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey's colt!”
16 His disciples did not
understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified,
then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had
been done to him. 17 The crowd that had been with
him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead
continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the
crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 So
the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing.
Look, the world has gone after him.”
Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for coming
to save us. Would indeed that the whole world would seek after you; but the
world and I are fickle: crying “hosanna” one day, and then shouting for your
crucifixion. Grant to me and to your whole church the humble obedience of that
young donkey. Sit on us and ride us all you want, Lord; in your name I ask it.
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=MD9rMkIS1yw
“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory; forever and ever. Amen.”
What does “amen” mean? Amen means Yes, it shall be so.
We say amen because we are certain that such petitions (as in the Lord’s
Prayer) are pleasing to our Father in heaven and are heard by him. For he
himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us. (from “The Small Catechism” by Martin
Luther)
Benediction: “Oh give thanks to
the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble.” Psalm 107.1-2
and your life is now hidden in...
Verse for the week:
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord's doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.” Psalm 118.22-23
Prayer for the week: Lord God, our strength, the battle of good
and evil rages within and around us, and our ancient foe tempts us with his
deceits and empty promises. Keep us steadfast in your Word and, when we fall,
raise us again and restore us through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Lutheran Book of Worship)
Bible reading for the day: Colossians 3.1-4
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the
things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of
God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not
on things that are on earth. 3 For you have
died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When
Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with
him in glory.
Prayer (based on T.R.I.P. method*): Gracious and almighty Father, thank you for
putting to death my old, proud self and raising the new, obedient me in Christ.
Thank you! For a will that has been condemned and terminated, mine sure is
persistent. So, until my ears, mind, and heart finally trust you above all
else, keep on announcing to me my demise and my joy… my death in Christ and my
resurrected, hidden life; in Jesus’ name I pray. 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=7XBExrjXK1U
“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory; forever and ever. Amen.”
What does “amen” mean? Amen means Yes, it shall be so.
We say amen because we are certain that such petitions (as in the Lord’s
Prayer) are pleasing to our Father in heaven and are heard by him. For he
himself has commanded us to pray in this way and has promised to hear us. (from “The Small Catechism” by Martin
Luther)
Benediction: “Oh give thanks to
the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble.” Psalm 107.1-2
