SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8
NEWS: This evening the ladies meet for their Wednesday evening Bible study. That is online, via Zoom, and starts at 5 PM. The Max Lucado book, “Experiencing the Heart of Jesus,” is being studied. Lori Dowe is leading and she can be reached by email, loridowe@gmail.com
Tomorrow evening the Board of Directors has their monthly online meeting. You should have received an email from Bruce Woodword with the Zoom link. If not, please contact Bruce via email.
This Saturday the Men have their monthly Bible study/breakfast at 9 AM in our fellowship hall. All men are invited to attend and participate.
Saturday at 10 AM we have our monthly Work Party to help clean-up, fix-up and tidy-up our church and property. If you have some time, please come and pitch in for as much time as you can spend.
Also Saturday, Fellowship Team! We do the fun stuff! We empower things like the fellowship time after church, lunch outings or potlucks after that, and other fun things like Thankfeast, Easter Brunch, progressing dinners, pizza/bowling and more! On the team already are: Gail Adams, Amanda Cerny, Allen & Debbie Kolkman, Keith Neblett, Dania Roth – but there’s room for YOU! We’d love to have YOU on the “Fun Team.” Just let Allen Kolkman know
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Margie and Allen Latall. We both request prayers for the health needs, issues and struggles we are facing.
READINGS: Psalm 22:19-26; Psalm 102; Numbers 23:4-28; Luke 22:47-71
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Facing the Pain, Starting to Heal”
Acts 2:14a, 22-24, 32-33, 36 – But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “… Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised Him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. … This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. … Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
When I hear what Peter is saying, it makes me wonder why his listeners didn’t run away. After all, he’s basically calling them murderers! He’s saying things like, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men,” and again, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” How can they stand to listen to him?
And Peter is not talking just to the Israelites in front of him; he’s talking to us, too—every one of us who has ever rebelled against God. It was our sin that sent Jesus to the cross; it is our hands which are red with His blood. And that is unbearable. Better to deny it; better to hide from our responsibility; better to put the blame on someone else.
And yet—Peter can say these things, and we can accept them, for one reason only—because Jesus transformed the great evil we did to Him into the most wonderful act of love we have ever seen. Because He went to that cross willingly, didn’t He? He cooperated with our murder, if we can use that word. And by doing that, He redeemed us and made us new, clean people, forgiven and loved. All our evil is taken away. Nothing remains but us—God’s children, living in Christ Himself, the Son of God. And Jesus will not condemn us.
That is the only way we can face Peter’s accusation—or any of the sins of our past, which cut our hearts so deeply and scar our memories. It’s only possible to face those things when Jesus has us safe in His hands, reminding us how much He loves us—saying, again and again, that we are forgiven. Then we can finally develop the strength to face the guilt and shame that have haunted us all our lives. We cannot do it on our own. But standing at the side of the crucified and risen Jesus, who loves us—yes. We can finally face and be done with the past, because Jesus is our present and our future—and in Him we have love, peace, and hope. Our sins are gone. Jesus remains.
WE PRAY: Lord, help me when I must face pain, and be my healer and Savior. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. Is it easier to trust someone who loves you or someone who does not?
2. Why, exactly?
3. What do you do when you feel guilty?
Today’s Bible Readings: Psalms 143-145 John 18:1-18
To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select “Save Link As” or “Save Target As” or “Download Linked File As”
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 can go about your day 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.”
You can now go to bed quickly and cheerfully.
OTHER RESOURCES:
Our church website is: https://www.svlchurch.org/
Below is our Facebook page:
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 Wednesday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel at pastor@svlchurch.org
