SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2023
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him. Psalm 28:7
NEWS: A very blessed February to all! Mark your calendars for Sunday, February12th: we’re having a Family Super Bowl party at church! It starts at 3 PM in our sanctuary…that’s where we have a big screen. Yes, all are invited, whether cheering for KC or Philly. For those who want to come but don’t care about the game, there will be board games and activities for the kids too. Some more information will be forthcoming.
PRAYERS: Today we pray for Pat and Bill Sperberg. We pray for Pat as she travels to Austin, TX on Thursday to see her and Bills daughter and grandchildren. They also offer a prayer of thanks for the long ministry of Allen and Debbie Kolkman at Shepherd of The Valley and their continued ministry to our congregation.
READINGS: Psalm 28; Psalm 48; Zechariah 11:4-17; 2 Timothy 4:1-18
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Weakness”
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 – And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
“Why didn’t God send somebody better to do this job?” I think that’s the question that most pastors and church leaders ask themselves at one time or another. When God chose to plant a Vietnamese refugee church using my husband and me, it was super obvious that, humanly speaking, we were not the best people for the job. My husband was a first-year seminary student with a very thick accent. I was only 22, a full-time grad student with a number of medical problems. We had no time, we had no money, and we had very little experience in the kind of work we were about to do. Anyone could look at us and say, “You call them missionaries?! Are you crazy?” In fact, quite a few people did!
You might be in a similar boat. Oh, you might not be urban missionaries—but maybe you’re starting to serve as a caregiver for someone disabled or sick. Maybe you are trying to help a friend in trouble and you don’t know how. Maybe you’re raising children—or coaching an employee, or figuring out what to do about a problem in the family. Whatever it is, you can see all the reasons why you are the wrong person for the job—and yet, God put you there anyway.
The strange thing is how often God takes those weaknesses and turns them into a blessing. The weaknesses are real, yes—and the people around us often see them as clearly as we do. But the good thing is, the message of the Gospel shines through even more clearly when it’s obvious that the messengers are ordinary people just like everybody else. It’s hard to idolize someone when they have a final exam in the morning, or are bleary-eyed from being up all night with a newborn! But it’s easy to see God working through people who clearly have no special gifts of their own—only Jesus.
I think this is why Jesus chose so many fishermen for His disciples—just ordinary people. I think this is why He chose you and me. Through us He can show the world the love that drove Him to suffer and die on the cross—yes, and to rise again, and share that everlasting life with us who trust Him. God’s power shines best through the weak.
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, make my weaknesses a testimony to Your love and power. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. What is one weakness of yours God has used for good?
2. What is a job or task God has given you that you feel unqualified for?
3. How do you rely on the Holy Spirit to get you through it?
Today’s Bible Readings: Genesis 36-38 Matthew 21:1-22
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
