SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14
NEWS: Please refer to the weekly Shepherd of the Valley E-News sent out yesterday by Allen Kolkman.
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Kathy Andrews. We ask safety for Kathy as she completes a cruise and returns home on Sunday.
READINGS: Psalm 114; Psalm 124; Deuteronomy 12:13-32; Matthew 12:38-50
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Look at Me”
Luke 18:1-8 – And Jesus told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ “And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lutheranhour.org.
The other day we were at a playground. My friend’s seven-year-old daughter, Hazel, kept calling to him, “Hey daddy, look at me!” She’s swinging on a rope—”Daddy, look at me!” She’s climbing up a wall, “Daddy, daddy, look at me!” Her dad and I could barely get a few words into our conversation without Hazel pulling for his attention. And it reminded me how children thrive under the watchful favor of an engaged father and a mother.
The story we heard from Jesus touches one of our deepest human needs—questions that everybody asks at some point: “Do you see me? Do I matter to you? Am I important?” The widow in the story does not have a supportive community for whom she matters. Instead, she has an adversary, someone who is harming her. She brings her case to the judge, hoping she will matter to him. When she discovers that she does not, she does the only thing she can do. She becomes the squeaky wheel that gets the oil, the interrupting child who will not be ignored.
Jesus contrasts this lazy judge with God, the true Judge. Satan, our adversary, tries to fill our heads with false pictures of God to demoralize us. But the adversary is not the Creator. Satan cannot change the way things are, but only our perception of them. God is still faithful. Jesus came to show us. By His death and resurrection, Jesus proved that we matter to God. We were created to relate to God, not like a plaintiff suing for justice before a corrupt judge, not like children seeking attention from a distracted parent, but like a beloved daughter, a son, confident under the watchful eye of the Almighty Father.
Hazel’s family stopped to visit us on their way down to Florida. Later, I spoke with her dad about the trip. He said there was a moment when Hazel was wading into the ocean and the waves kept knocking her off her feet. There, away from the playground, she wasn’t saying, “Daddy, look at me.” She was looking at all those overwhelming waves. In a panic, she turns in the water and sees her dad standing next to her. “Do you want to piggy-back?” he asked. “Yes,” she answered. And in Jesus, our Father carries you on His back and says, “Look at Me.”
WE PRAY: Dear Father, save Your people, bless Your heritage, and carry us forever. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour.
Reflection Questions:
1. When are you tempted to believe that God doesn’t see you, or that you don’t matter to him?
2. Read Psalm 139:1-10. Which verse or verses are especially meaningful for you?
3. Commit those verses to memory by repeating them over and over. What might this do for you?
Today’s Bible Readings: Nahum 1-3 Acts 23:1-15
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 Friday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel at pastor@svlchurch.org
