SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH

READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

 NEWS: This evening the ladies have their online Women’s Bible study. It starts at 5 PM and Lori Dowe is leading the study of Max Lucado’s book, “Experiencing the Heart of Jesus.” For more information or for the Zoom link, contact Lori.

 PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Keith Neblett. Keith asks prayers for peace to break out in our world and for the love of Christ to show in our lives and witness to the world.

 READINGS: Psalm 19:7-14; Psalm 50; Leviticus 16:1-24; Luke 10:1-22

 DEVOTION:

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

“No Sea”

Revelation 21:1 – Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

This verse in Revelation always gives me pause. No sea? Why would there be no oceans in the new heaven and the new earth? I confess it, I’m not at all happy with that idea. I grew up next to the Pacific Ocean, and I miss it desperately—the seafoam hissing around my ankles, the little brown crabs digging themselves into the sand. The darkening blue sky as the sun sets over the waves and the first stars come out. How could God not have oceans in His new creation?

But maybe I’ve got hold of the wrong end of the stick when I take this verse so literally. After all, Revelation is probably the most symbolic book in the whole Bible. And out of this whole book, the new heavens and new earth has to be the most difficult for John to describe to us. John is trying to explain in words things God conveyed to him in a vision—and he’s describing a place that doesn’t even exist yet—a place we won’t really understand till we’re there. Chances are high we’re dealing with a symbol.

So maybe we should look at this through John’s eyes. What does the sea mean to John? Well, for starters, it means separation. John is in exile. The government has condemned him to live on a tiny island, the Isle of Patmos. All of his friends and relatives are on the other side of the sea. The churches he loves and wrote to in Revelation 1-2 are there, on the land far away, barely visible across the water. The sea is John’s prison, his jailer—because of it he can only imagine the people he loves.

If we think of the sea as separation—well, we understand that very well, don’t we? After two years of this pandemic, we know the pain of loneliness and isolation very well. It is definitely not something that belongs in God’s new creation. One of the many, many things Jesus came to set right is our alienation from God and each other—our broken relationships, ruined by sin and evil. “It is not good that the man should be alone,” God said at the beginning (Genesis 2:18b), and He took steps to create a woman, another person.

It is not good that all of us should be alone either, trapped in grief and trouble and sorrow and sin—and so God sent Jesus, His own dear Son, to become one of us and to bring us back into God’s family again. God wants us home with Him, as His dear children—not exiled on a desert island somewhere, with no one to love us and no one to love. That is why Jesus died and rose again—to destroy that evil that separates us from God and each other, and to bring us together in God’s kingdom. And when He comes again, there will be no more loneliness and separation—only love.

WE PRAY: Lord, help me when I am lonely. Amen.

This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.

Reflection Questions:

1. What do you do when you are feeling lonely?

2. How has God helped you during a time when you felt isolated or alone?

3. How could God use you to reach out to someone else who is feeling isolated?

Today’s Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 8-9    Psalms 60    John 2

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