SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022
NEWS: From the Weekly E-News: “Lutheranism 101” It’s now all online at https://www.svlchurch.org/about-us/lutheranism-101/ This series, written by yours truly (Allen Kolkman), is evolved from the Adult Confirmation Class I’ve taught for years, as well as the Doctrine Class I’ve taught for the Pacific Southwest District of our Synod. I’m currently teaching it at Faith Lutheran Church in Vista where it has been very well received. It’s now a resource on our church’s website (go to the site at www.svlchurch.org, click on “about us” and a drop down menu appears, click on Lutheranism 101). There is an index by subject. Check it out!
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for the Jerome family: Denae, Christopher and Evelyn.
READINGS: Psalm 12; Psalm 9; Deuteronomy 28:1-22; Matthew 18:1-20
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“What the Law Is For”
Romans 3:19-25a – Now we know that whatever the Law says it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the Law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the Law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the Law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith.
When you were little, did you ever go out to play and come back home completely filthy? Dirt smeared on your face; foxtails in your hair; grass stains on your knees and elbows. And chances are, you didn’t even know how dirty you were. After all, you couldn’t see it!
And so your mother or father marched you to the mirror. “Take a look at yourself!” they said. And you did, and you saw things in the mirror you never expected. Where did that spot come from? How did you get marker on your face?
You know what happened next. Out of the dirty clothes and into the bathtub! Because looking in the mirror any longer wouldn’t solve anything. Only soap and water could make you clean.
God’s Law is like this, isn’t it? It’s a mirror that shows us every spot and stain in our lives—even the ones we didn’t know about before. But that’s as much as it can do. The Law can’t make us clean again; all it can do is point out our faults and sins. We need other help.
And that’s where Jesus comes to make us clean again. He knows we can’t do it, no matter how hard we concentrate on God’s Law—but He can. And He does. How? By taking all of our sin and lawbreaking on Himself, and carrying it to the cross, where He gets rid of it forever. He washes us in Baptism and gives us new, clean clothes of goodness and holiness to wear—His own good clothes, to be ours forever. Finally, He gives us life—His own everlasting life, which He won for us when He rose from the dead, never to die again.
Mirrors are good, and God’s Law is good. They reflect the truth. But neither one can change the truth—change us, recreate us as children of God. Jesus does that. Thanks be to God!
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, thank You for making me clean again, and Yours forever. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. Do you like to look in the mirror? Why or why not?
2. What about God’s Law—do you like to look in that? Why or why not?
3. How does Jesus see you? What has He done to make you beautiful in His eyes?
Today’s Bible Readings: Jeremiah 25, 45-46 Hebrews 1
To Download Devotion MP3 to your computer, right click here
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 Wednesday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel at pastor@svlchurch.org
