SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2023
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
NEWS: Bible study continues tomorrow at the home of K Berni. The title is, “How Happiness Happens” and it runs from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. For more information, contact K
PRAYERS: Today we remember Tom and Gloria Morofski in prayer. In our Summer of Prayer series, we pray for the residents of Oceanside who are married. We ask that God would strengthen all husbands and wives and help keep them faithful in their commitment to one another.
READINGS: Jeremiah 43; Psalm 24; Acts 26:1-11
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
| “What Are You Afraid Of?”
July 26, 2023 |
|
| Romans 8:31-39 – What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the One who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For Your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I think all of us harbor secret terrors in our minds—things we try not to think about, because they frighten us so badly. I have a special horror of not being able to breathe, probably due to my asthma. For others it will be different—spiders or public speaking, heights or a particular disease. Still others dread evils from the past—abuses from childhood, attacks and crimes, the horror of war.
These fears can be amazingly powerful. And yet, even against them, St. Paul tells us that “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”—that is, through Jesus our Savior. Why? Is it because we will never feel those fears again? Hardly. That would take a miracle for most of us, and we are still human and far from perfect as we wait for Jesus’ second coming. Is it because none of those things will ever happen to us? That, too, is something God doesn’t guarantee—just look at what happened to the apostles!
Then what does the apostle Paul mean?
Simply that none of these things, terrifying as they are, can separate us from Jesus our Life, who died and rose to make us His own. Whether the evils we fear happen to us or not, Jesus will not allow those things to destroy us. We may suffer greatly, we may even die—but we will not be ripped out of Jesus’ hands. Nothing the world can do to us will make Jesus turn away from us or stop loving us. Nothing can destroy us so thoroughly that He cannot restore us; nothing can shame or defile us to the point that He will stop loving us. Whatever comes to us, Jesus holds us in the palm of His hand; and He will raise us at the Last Day, victorious and joyful with Him, healed and well and whole again.
Then what? Life with Him and all His people forever in His kingdom, where “death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4b). Jesus remains forever. And us with Him.
WE PRAY: Dear Savior, when I am terrified, help me to lean on You, knowing You will never desert me. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. What is a particular fear of yours that you are willing to share?
2. When you think of something that terrified you, how do you find help in Jesus? What do you do?
3. What are three or four things you are overjoyed to know will not be a part of God’s kingdom? |
|
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 hour s: 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, pastor@svlcchurch.org
