SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION

THURSDAY, MAY 26,

THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD

 Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Alleluia. I am with you always, to the end of the age. Alleluia.

 NEWS: From Pastor Joel: If you have specific prayer request for Pastor Joel, please feel free to call or text him on his cell phone.  If you’d like him to provide a house blessing prayer for you can schedule a time with him to come over and pray at your home as well.

Do you have a 5th grader or older ready to take Holy Communion? Please let Pastor Joel know.

PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Ian Andrews.

COLLECT OF THE DAY: Almighty God, as Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into the heavens, so may we also ascend in heart and mind and continually dwell there with Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

 READINGS: Acts 1:1-11; Psalm 47; 1 Peter 3:13-22; John 14:15-21

 DEVOTION:

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

“Leaning on Jesus”

John 17:20-26 – [Jesus said] “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. The glory that You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one even as We are One, I in them and You in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them even as You loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am, to see My glory that You have given Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know You, I know You, and these know that You have sent Me. I made known to them Your Name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

What do you do with a fellow Christian you absolutely can’t stand?

I know that I am supposed to show love to them, but it’s so difficult! How in the world can I love that person? They do this or that terrible thing—they hold such awful opinions—their voice grates on me; their behavior is obnoxious. Christian or not, I can’t stand them. How can I be “one” with somebody who makes me want to run away the minute I lay eyes on them?

When this situation happens to me, I think back to Jesus’ prayer here when He is asking the Father to help us. Jesus knows perfectly well that living together in love is not our natural state. It doesn’t come easily to us. In fact, the only way it’s possible at all is if the Holy Spirit is living in us, living the life of Jesus through us. On our own power, we will get nowhere. We will have to lean on Him.

So when this happens to me, I ask the Holy Spirit to help me. And then I remember that—hard as it is to imagine—Jesus loves this person just as much as He loves me. This person is someone for whom He suffered and died—yes, and rose again. Jesus wants me to treat this person with love. It makes Him happy. And I love Jesus. I would do worse things than this for someone that I love!

It is really not an easy thing to do. But when Jesus Himself lives inside us, we can hand the steering wheel over to Him. We can say, “Lord, I can’t do it. Please love this person through me.” And He will. If He could handle suffering and dying and rising again, all to save the lot of us—every human being, obnoxious as we are—He can certainly help us learn to care for one another. He still does miracles!

WE PRAY: Dear Lord, You have loved me. Now please love others through me, including the ones that are so hard for me. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you have someone you have trouble loving? Don’t name names!

2. How has God helped you to deal with that person?

3. When have you felt unlovable and God used someone else to care for you?

Today’s Bible Readings: Psalms 17, 19    John 9:24-41

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.svlchurch.org

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 Thursday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us

You can also email Pastor Joel at pastor@svlchurch.org.