SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
WEDNESDAY, JULY 20
NEWS: A Blessed Wednesday to all. No, you won’t be tested on the Memory Verse, which comes from the LCMS!
This week’s memory verse:
Revelation 1:7–8
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Terry and Alba Reilly.
READINGS: Psalm 119:57-64; Psalm 115:9-18; 1 Samuel 3:1-21; Acts 16:1-22
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Freely”
Colossians 2:6-10, 12-13a, 14 – Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition … and not according to Christ. For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in Him … having been buried with Him in Baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses … God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross.
There’s a silly song from 1929 called “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.” I call it silly because, of course, if you really did try to tiptoe through the tulips, you’d end up smashing the flowers under your feet. Tulips are not strong. You might as well try to walk on noodles.
And yet, isn’t this the way that a lot of us treat our Christian life? Some of us get so tied up in worrying about our sins and mistakes, trying to do everything perfectly, that it looks like we have no benefit from Jesus Christ at all! We are still in jail—still under the Law, still worried and obsessed about getting it right. We are tiptoeing through the tulips, scared to death of the Gardener catching us. And that’s no way to live.
Against this, Paul writes, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” So let’s think about that. How exactly did we receive Christ Jesus the Lord? Well, that’s easy. We received Him freely, by grace, as a wonderful gift from God the Father. We did not earn Him. We did not behave so perfectly that God decided to send us His Son Jesus. Quite the opposite, in fact! God looked at us human beings all tangled up in our sins and mistakes and problems, and He said, “These people need a Savior!” And so He gave us the best gift in the world—Jesus.
If we receive Jesus our Savior as a free gift from God, then that is the way we should live in Him every day of our lives. We don’t have to worry about crushing the tulips anymore! If we sin, Jesus will deal with it. Jesus has already dealt with it—2,000 years ago on a cross outside of Jerusalem. And now that He has risen from the dead, Jesus will continue to wash us clean and to make us more and more into what God has planned for us. Nothing will stop Him.
Let’s live as free people—free and thankful and joyful, walking in Christ forever. Amen.
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, when I start obsessing about things You have already forgiven and dealt with, bring me back to Your freedom. And thank You! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. Someone once said, “Christ died for everybody—even Christians.” What do you think that means?
2. Are you ever tempted to obsess over your own guilt or shame?
3. How do you get refocused on what Jesus has done and is doing for you?
Today’s Bible Readings: 2 Kings 24-25 Acts 16:1-21
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 Lutherans for Life: https://lutheransforlife.org/
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
