SVLC DEVOTION MONDAY, MAY 8, 2023

by | May 7, 2023 | Daily Devotions

SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2023

 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

 NEWS: We had a very blessed day in God’s house yesterday. There were 56 who attended in person, with more who viewed us online. Thank you to all who served our congregation. Thanks also to Pastor Joel for le3ading our Bible study and worship, as well as for his timely sermon message.

Tomorrow evening the Tuesday Bible study continues at the home of Debbie and Allen Kolkman. “Life in The Year One: The Holy Lands,” is the topic. It starts at 6:30 PM with a short devotion, then the study material and windsn up with fellowship time. All are invited to attend. The Kolkman’s address is 710 Fredericks Ave., Oceanside.

 PRAYERS: Today we lift up Debbie and Allen Kolkman in prayer.

 READINGS: Habakkuk 1:12-2:1; Psalm 117; Luke 20:27-40

 DEVOTION:

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

“He Is Listening”

May 8, 2023

 

Psalm 66:18-20 – If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me!

Pay attention! Listen! There is something important that you need to hear. So many voices compete for our attention, yet perhaps more than ever before our attention easily wanders. Brief social media posts, quick summaries in online information, and ever-changing headlines reduce our attention spans. When our prayers, especially our most desperate pleas, are not answered immediately or as we want them to be answered, we may think that God’s attention span is like our own. Is He even listening?

God invites us, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15). God wants us to pray, but the prophet Isaiah warned of a dividing wall: “Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). Yet God, in His grace and steadfast love, has destroyed that barrier. On the cross Jesus cried out in prayer, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34b). Jesus was not delivered. His plea was met with silence and He was given over to the suffering of the cross. He died to reconcile us to God and for His sake, our sins are forgiven. The barrier of sin that could hinder our prayers crumbled and fell at the foot of the cross. God hears our prayers and answers according to His gracious will.

God even gives us words to pray when we struggle to form our own prayers. In the inspired psalms, we have prayers in God’s own words that express loss and hope, anguish and joy, fear and faith. Jesus told His disciples, “Pray then like this,” and gave us the words of His own prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). We do not need to be afraid that our prayers are not in line with God’s holy will because the Spirit intercedes for us according to His will. When all words fail us, “the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26b).

We may not always feel like God is listening, but we do not need to feel or imagine that He hears us. We have His invitation to pray and His promise that He hears us. He will answer according to His will and for our good. As the psalmist reminds us, “Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4). Day or night, God hears our prayers. He is always listening and He will never remove His steadfast love from us.

WE PRAY: “I call upon You, for You will answer me, O God; incline Your ear to me; hear my words.” Amen. (Psalm 17:6).

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.

Reflection Questions:

1. How do you step aside from all the hubbub and white noise in this world to spend time with God?

2. Have you ever experienced a time when the Holy Spirit interceded for you when praying was just too difficult?

3. Have you ever felt like your sins drove a wedge between you and God? How did you work through that?

 

Today’s Bible in a Year Reading: 2 Samuel 1-2; Luke 24:36-53

 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 Monday and new week to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us

 Pastor Joel, pastor@svlcchurch.org