SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS
TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2023
This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
NEWS: A very blessed Tuesday to all!
PRAYERS: Today we remember Daryl Finley in our prayers. He asks prayers for voice training he is doing online.We pray for the Woodward family and especially Eric, who is hospitalized with respitory issues and an infection in his trachea. I, Allen, give thanks to the Lord that issues in my lungs, especially the right one, are slightly improved after the results of a CT yesterday. In our Summer of Prayer series, we pray the Lord would instill into the hearts of our congregation and all believers in Oceanside a spirit of contentment and thanksgiving for what we have. We pray all may repent for spirits of greed and jealousy.
READINGS: Lamentations 3:40-60; Psalm 50; Colossians 1:24-2:5
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Where You Come From”
Isaiah 51:1-2 – Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him.
It’s a good challenge God sets before us. If we seek the Lord, if we want to be accepted by Him, we should look where we come from—at Abraham and Sarah, our ancestors in faith. They are the “rock from which [we] were hewn,” and “the quarry from which [we] were dug.” What can we learn from them?
Lots of stuff. Abraham was known as the “friend of God,” and Sarah is praised as a woman of faith (see James 2:23, Hebrews 11:11). And yet, their lives weren’t exactly wonderful, were they? Abraham lied and actually allowed his wife to be taken into another man’s harem because he wanted to save his own life (see Genesis 20); Sarah was downright abusive to her servant Hagar, whom she used to get a baby she could adopt as her own (see Genesis 16). These aren’t shining examples of righteousness, are they?
Of course, neither are we. I can supply examples of my own sin (but I’ll spare you). I’m sure you can do the same. Maybe we fit the rock we came from a bit better than we thought.
And yet … Abraham was called the friend of God, not because of his own actions, but because God chose him. God chose both him and Sarah to become the parents of a nation and the ancestors of Jesus, our Savior—not because they were good and holy, but because He loved them. God forgave their sins on account of Jesus, just as He forgives our sins on account of Jesus—because in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself—past, present, and future. And every one of us who trusts in Jesus, who died and rose for us, will be forgiven, be given new, clean hearts, and live forever. Even the worst of us.
A broken human family in need of forgiveness—that’s where we come from. And where are we going? To God’s kingdom, on account of Jesus, our Savior. Because He is now our Rock and our Redeemer. We belong to Him forever.
WE PRAY: Dear Father, I am broken and needy. Forgive and cleanse me through Jesus. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. What disturbs you the most about Abraham and Sarah as spiritual ancestors?
2. How do you see God having mercy on them—and on you?
3. Is there anybody so bad that God cannot redeem them?
Today’s Bible Readings: 1 Chronicles 20-22 1 Corinthians 14:1-20
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 Tuesday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel, pastor@svlcchurch.org
