SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18
NEWS: This evening the Tuesday Bible study is happening at the home of Debbie and Allen Kolkman. They start at 6:30 PM with a short devotion. The study follows and then a fellowship time with coffee and some goodies. Things wrap up around 8. All are invited to take part each week.
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Dee and Victor Dille. Vic requests prayers for his daughter and thanks for blessings to him and Dee. I give thanks for the concern people have shown me. In regards to my prosthetic, I was back on Monday and the new cuff was made to tight. They reattached the old one and we’ll start fresh again in a couple weeks. I can ove around again without the pain that was there, thank the Lord.
READINGS: Psalm 75; Psalm 77; Deuteronomy 17:1-20; Matthew 14:1-21
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Is There Any Hope?”
Genesis 4:1-2a, 8-9, 11-12 – Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” And again, she bore his brother Abel. … Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, … “The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
Genesis 4 is not a fun chapter. Eve gives birth to two children, and you can hear the hope in her voice when she says, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” She sees Cain as a blessing—maybe even as the fulfillment of God’s promise to save the human race from the grief and trouble they’d gotten themselves into. But it didn’t turn out that way. Cain killed his brother Abel in a fit of jealousy and has to leave home forever. And their parents are left to grieve.
Of course, this is the natural result of the first human beings disobeying God back in the garden of Eden. You can’t rebel against God and expect your life to go smoothly. That first sin of disobedience grew and multiplied and contaminated every area of life—work, family and children, even worship.
So it’s not a happy chapter. And yet, we can see one glowing piece of good news. God is still there—providing for their needs, trying to get them back on track. He has not forgotten them. He has not turned His back on them. If evil is there, God is right there with them too—and He will save them.
The road ahead of Adam and Eve was much longer than they imagined. It would be ages before the promised Savior would be born, and that time would be filled with plenty of trouble and grief.
But God was getting ready to send Jesus—God’s own Son, born as a human baby into the family of Adam and Eve, “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3b). God did not leave us alone—He came into the middle of our suffering and sadness Himself. He came to save us by laying down His own life for us on the cross—yes, and by rising from the dead three days later, never to die again.
On that first Easter day, Jesus broke the power of death over the human race. He destroyed the ancient curse and set us free from the power of sin and evil. Now, everyone who trusts in Him becomes a member of God’s family, God’s people. Our exile from the garden of Eden is over. Through His suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus is bringing us back to God forever in paradise.
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, let me find hope in You in the middle of my troubled life. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. What are some of the troubles that are weighing heavy on you right now?
2. How have you seen God caring for you during these hard times?
3. How does Jesus give you help right now and hope for the future?
Today’s Bible Readings: Jeremiah 1-2 Acts 26
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 Tuesday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel at pastor@svlchurch.org
