SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
FRIDAY, MARCH 18
NEWS: To get up to date, please refer to the Weekly E-News sent out yesterday by Allen Kolkman. IF you did not see it in your inbox, please check your Spam filter (as I had to do) since it is being sent out through a newly created church email.
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for the Woodward family: Bruce, Carole and Eric. We pray that Eric will be open to the dental work that he needs,
READINGS: Psalm 118; Psalm 38; Genesis 24:32-52, 61-67; Mark 8:1-21
DEVOTION:
“RECOGNITION”
And when He drew near and saw the city, He wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44)
It’s a strange time to break down crying, in the middle of a parade. And yet a very natural one for Jesus, because the city where He will die has just come into sight—and He knows that the people are completely unprepared for what is coming next.
This Palm Sunday welcome will turn into rejection in days. The king they are welcoming now will be crowned with thorns and enthroned on a cross. His murder will be the greatest shame and grief in human history. And it will be followed, within forty years, by the destruction of Jerusalem itself.
Why? They didn’t recognize Him. They failed to see God, their own God, coming to save them.
Jesus is grieved to the heart by this. And yet He’s not giving up on them. He will save these people, and all people, through His death and resurrection. He is doing a wonderful exchange: we give Him rejection, and He gives us welcome. We give Him pain, and He heals us. We give Him death, and He gives us life—everlasting life.
In the end, it doesn’t matter that we didn’t recognize Him. What really matters is that God has chosen to recognize us—and to bring us into His family through Jesus, as forgiven children of God.
THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for saving us and making us Your own. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* Tell about a time when you failed to recognize someone you knew.
* What does it mean, to be recognized by God?
* When do you see God working in your past life, though you didn’t recognize Him at the time?
Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Today’s Bible Readings: Numbers 20-22 Mark 15:26-47
To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here and select “Save Link As” or “Save Target As” or “Download Linked File As”
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:
www.facebook.com/shepherdofthevalleyoceanside
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.
