SVLC DEVOTION SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6

by | Feb 5, 2022 | Daily Devotions

SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6

THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

 Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, Let us go to the house of the Lord!

NEWS: Today we have Pastor Eric Kaelberer leading our Sunday Bible study at 9:00 AM and our worship service at 10. The weather continues to be good and we have plenty of seating in God’s house. It is truly a good thing, to spend an hour with the Lord and his people. For those who can’t worship in person, our service is streamed on our Facebook page. The link is below, under Other Resources. Click on that, click on the More drop-down arrow, then click on Live. Others serving our congregation today are:

Altar flowers – The Roth Family

Reader – Darryl Finley

Greeter – OPEN

Acolyte – OPEN

Ushers – Keith Neblett & OPEN

Communion Assistant – Allen Latall

Fellowship – The Woodward Family

We do have a couple open positions if anyone can help…Thank You!

 PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Charlene Simpson. She asks prayers for her brother, dealing with Shingles.

 COLLECT FOR TODAY: O Lord, keep Your family the Church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope of your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by your mighty power; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 READINGS: Psalm 77:1-3, 7-12, 15; Psalm 74; Job 3:11-26; John 1:35-51

 DIGGING DEEPER: Isaiah 58:3-9; Psalm 112:1-9; 1 Corinthians 2:1-12; Matthew 5:13-20

Alleluia. Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Alleluia.

 DEVOTION:

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

“Hail, O Source of Every Blessing”

February 6, 2022

 

“Hail, O Source of ev’ry blessing, Father of our human race! Gentiles now, Your grace possessing, in Your courts obtain a place. Grateful now, we fall before You, in Your Church rejoice to live, See Your glory and adore You, thankful for the grace You give.

“Once far off but now invited, we approach Your sacred throne, In Your covenant united, reconciled, redeemed, made one. Now revealed to eastern sages, see the Star of Mercy shine, Myst’ry hid in former ages, myst’ry great of love divine.”

The festival of Epiphany, the celebration of the wise men’s search for the new King of the Jews, is sometimes called, “The Christmas of the Gentiles.” The wise men were Gentiles, that is, they were not descendants of Israel’s great patriarch Abraham. Gentiles were not part of the chosen people. They were, as our hymn says, “far off” and “strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12b). Did Israel’s Messiah come for the Gentiles, too? The wise men thought so. They found and worshiped the Holy Child of Bethlehem and offered Him rich gifts fit for a king, their King.

Scripture foretold the Messiah’s redemptive sacrifice for Jews and Gentiles (called “the nations”). God said to His Messiah, His Anointed One: “I will make you as a light for the nations, that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6b). Jesus the Messiah, the Good Shepherd who came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, said, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16).

Many of us are Gentiles, those other sheep who were “once far off but now invited” to believe in Jesus. We are “reconciled, redeemed, made one” by God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus. This astounding act of divine mercy is the “mystery hid in former ages,” a mystery revealed in the worship of the “eastern sages,” the wise men. The apostle Paul explains this revelation: “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel” (Ephesians 3:6).

In Jesus’ day, the outermost area of the Jerusalem temple was called the Court of the Gentiles. Those who were not descendants of Abraham could not trespass beyond that court; those who did so could be put to death. But now, through faith in Christ Jesus, we who are Gentiles “obtain a place” in the courts of heaven, in the presence of God. This “myst’ry great of love divine” is expressed in familiar words that are no mystery: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

THE PRAYER: Lord and Savior, thank You for welcoming me into Your presence, now and forever. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler. It is based on the hymn “Hail, O Source of Every Blessing,” which is number 409 in the Lutheran Service Book.

Reflection Questions:

1. What’s your favorite part in the story of the wise men coming to see Jesus?

2. Do you think the wise men spoke about Jesus to anyone after they returned home?

3. How do we know from the Bible that God wants all people to be saved?

 

Today’s Bible in a Year Reading: Genesis 49-50; Matthew 23:23-29

 Luther’s Morning Prayer

In the morning, as soon as you get out of bed, you are to make the Sign of the Cross and say:

“God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen.”

Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. In addition recite this prayer as well:

“I give thanks to you, my heavenly Father through Jesus Christ your dear son, that you have protected me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you that you would also protect me today from sin and all evil, so that my life and actions may please you completely. For into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.”

After singing a hymn or whatever else may serve your devotion, you are to go to your work joyfully.

Luther’s Evening Prayer

In the evening, when you go to bed, you are to make the Sign of the Cross and say:

“God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen.”

Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. In addition recite this prayer as well:

“I give thanks to you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have graciously protected me today, and I ask you to forgive me all my sins, where I have done wrong, and graciously to protect me tonight. For into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.”

Then you are to go to sleep quickly and cheerfully.

OTHER RESOURCES:

 www.svlchurch.org

www.facebook.com/shepherdofthevalleyoceanside

Here is the website for Lutheran Hour Ministries: https://www.lhm.org/

Lutheran Public Radio is listener supported and has two channels, one for sacred music and the other for talk, including news, current issues, politics and spiritual matters from a Lutheran perspective. Hosted by Pastor Todd Wilken, Issues, Etc. airs live Monday thru Friday from 1 to 3 pm Pacific, with the “Best Of” running at other hours: https://lutheranpublicradio.org/

KFUO is the listener supported radio station owned and operated by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Based in St. Louis, their format consists of teaching, preaching, ministry and sacred music: https://www.kfuo.org/

A very blessed Lord’s Day and Sunday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us. Just click on the link above.