SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
FRIDAY, JULY 15
NEWS: Please refer to the weekly E-News sent out by Allen Kolkman yesterday for all the news you can use.
PRAYERS: We especially pray for Charlotte Neblett. Charlotte requests prayers for the family of a dear friend who passed away, who’s funeral she will be attending today.
READINGS: Psalm 33:13-22; Psalm 27; Judges 15:1-16:3; Galatians 3:23-4:11
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Eighteen Hours in the Ocean”
Ecclesiastes 9:10 – Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the realm of the dead), to which you are going.
This devotion pairs with this weekend’s Lutheran Hour sermon, which can be found at lutheranhour.org.
It was the most beautiful night Art had ever spent on the ocean. “Stars appeared that I had never seen before,” he said later, “and the wind went to sleep, and the ocean became as smooth as glass.” But then, Art’s body went into another round of convulsions, the onset of hypothermia. Early that morning, Art and four friends set out on a deep-sea fishing expedition. They were 30 miles off the coast of New Jersey when large waves crashed into the boat, stalled the motors, and shorted the radios. The boat sank, leaving them floating in the ocean. They had no emergency rescue beacon, so they were without assurance that help was coming. And those hours in the ocean felt like a lifetime.
Sometimes people accuse the Christian faith of being naively optimistic. They poke holes in the paper-boat optimism they’ve mistaken for Christian belief. But actual Christian belief drawn from the Bible is much grittier than many people realize. The book of Ecclesiastes, for example, maintains that this mortal life is like a shipwreck: adrift in the ocean, wearing an ill-fitting life vest that keeps your head just above water, but not enough to know what’s ahead of you or behind you, but only the constant shifting cavern of dark waves all around you—that’s what mortal life is like, says Ecclesiastes.
The rest of the Bible fills in the picture. God created us to live in relationship with Him, but we rejected His life-giving invitation. We “made shipwreck” of our faith (see 1 Timothy 1:19). Now we are helpless, dead in the water. Whoever said the Bible offers paper-boat optimism hasn’t read it. The Bible tells us we are as helpless as a shipwreck. But then it gives a rescue beacon: the word-of-mouth testimony of the apostles and the prophets of the crucified and risen Jesus. He is our rescue beacon, our assurance that help is on the way. Jesus sent out His disciples. They found us in the water—baptized us in the water. They told us the rescue is coming. And that Jesus came to be with us in the water (see Matthew 28:19-20).
Years after those New Jersey fisherman were rescued, two of them—Art Higbee and David Jones—wrote a book about it, titled, Promising Forecast. Promising—that’s how those 18 hours in the ocean appeared on this side of things. And what got them through it was the presence of a friend with them in the water. So also, as we await our rescue, Jesus is with us. With Jesus next to you in the water, you can be a friend for others. And as the salty sage of Ecclesiastes says, “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10a). Even more, with God’s promise to salvage and restore this beautiful sinking ship we call Nature, you can even enjoy it—now, every starry night. And the Bible reminds us that “our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us.” Compared to eternal life in Jesus, this mortal life is like less than 18 hours in the ocean.
WE PRAY: Dear Father, we thank You that this “light, momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17), through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Rev. Dr. Michael Zeigler, Speaker of The Lutheran Hour.
Reflection Questions:
1. Ecclesiastes 9 is simultaneously comforting and disturbing. Read it aloud. What stays with you?
2. Re-read Ecclesiastes 9:11. Do you have any life experiences that match these observations?
3. Knowing that “time and chance” happens to all, what helps you to “eat your bread with joy” (Ecclesiastes 9:7) and do you work “with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10)?
Today’s Bible Readings: Amos 7-9 Galatians 2
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 Friday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel at pastor@svlchurch.org
