SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
DEVOTION, READINGS and PRAYERS
TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 2023
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:16 ESV
NEWS: Tomorrow we begin The Summer of Prayer, Pastor Joel has outlined a different prayer for each day of the summer season and that will be included in the Daily Devotional email. We pray we can all work together as a congregation, being brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, to effect change through daily prayer.
This Saturday, June 24th is our, “Eat-O-Vision” event. It’s at 4:00 PM in our sanctuary. More on this in the coming days. Plan to attend while enjoying a family movie and some delicious bites!
PRAYERS: Today we remember Charlotte Neblett in prayer.
READINGS: Jeremiah 19; Psalm 139; Acts 11:19-30
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Angry with God”
Jeremiah 20:7, 8b, 10, 12 – O LORD, You have deceived me, and I was deceived; You are stronger than I, and You have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me …. For the Word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. … For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my close friends, watching for my fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him.” … O LORD of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You have I committed my cause.
Some of us grew up with the idea that it’s a sin to be angry at God, and if we ever feel anger, we should stifle it and pretend it’s not there. Not Jeremiah. It’s clear that he’s angry with God and he even says God deceived him. Jeremiah is hurt and afraid, and his life is under threat. And so he yells.
And God listens! If you tried that behavior with a false god like Zeus or Baal, you’d be a grease spot in seconds. But not the true God. Jeremiah knows the Lord is true and just and loving, and under all the anger, he trusts Him.
So Jeremiah doesn’t lie awake worrying how God will react. No, he leaves the whole mess in God’s hands and rests.
So what about us, when we are angry at God—when we shout at Him in an empty house, or scream into our pillows because we’ve had terrible news and we think God should have prevented it? Will God reject us? Will God turn us away, saying, “Sorry, you’ve gone too far this time, I don’t want you for My child anymore”? No.
God will help. Maybe not exactly the way we want Him to—by curing the cancer, or giving us back the lost job or the broken marriage. But He will hear us and help us. And He will also stay with us and hold us up, so we don’t drown in our fear and anger. He will forgive us, have mercy on us, and keep loving us. How do we know? Because of Jesus.
Jesus is God’s answer to a terrified, angry world in meltdown. He is God Himself, come close to us—not to hit us, not to harm us, but to rescue us. He pulls us out of our messes, binds up our wounds, and makes us clean. And He does all of this at the cost of His own lifeblood, poured out for us on the cross.
Nothing less than the suffering of God can help the suffering of humankind. Nothing but Jesus’ death can give us life. And nothing but His resurrection can restore us as God’s children living in His kingdom forever, on the day when He returns again and makes all things new and well. Then “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
WE PRAY: Lord, help me to trust You even when I’m angry, and cry out to You. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. When have you been angry at God?
2. How did you deal with it?
3. Do you find it surprising that God has mercy on people even when they’re angry at Him? Why or why not?
Today’s Bible Readings: Proverbs 27-29 Acts 5:1-21
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 Tuesday to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us
Pastor Joel, pastor@svlcchurch.org
