SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
MONDAY, MAY 16
NEWS: A beautiful, fifth Sunday of Easter is past and we had 37 in attendance yesterday. We give thanks for Pastor Joel, for all who participated and for those who served our congregation. Thanks also for those who contributed to and participated in our potluck. Thank you too for those who helped in our Saturday work party, including members of New Testament church. It’s a big job to maintain our church and property and we appreciate the work of Bruce Woodward, who heads our property, as well as serving as our congregational President.
Tuesday evening the Kolkman’s continue Bible study at their home. The topic is Christian Care and it goes from 6:30 to 8 PM. There is a short devotion, then the study followed by fellowship time. All are invited to participate.
Wednesday evening the women have their Bible study. Lori Dowe leads and you can get more information by emailing her.
NEXT SUNDAY, after our worship service and fellowship time, please plan to attend our Congregational Meeting. We will be electing new leaders for some of our boards and discussing our church and Father’s business. We only do this twice a year so we hope all can participate.
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Chris Roth. Chris asks prayers for friends of his, that they may be successful in job searches and that good things happen for them.
READINGS: Psalm 31:1-5; Psalm 25; Leviticus 21:1-24; Luke 12:1-12
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“All Nations”
Psalm 67:4-5 – Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You!
God will “judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.” Do the nations want His guidance? Do the people want to be judged? The nations and the people do not really want divine guidance; they who openly seek to free themselves from it are all fallen, sinful people. None of us want the Lord’s guidance. We deserve His just judgment against sin, but we do not want to admit that either. Yet God is the Creator and Lord of all nations and He “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).
The truth that God wants us to know is truth for all nations. It is the truth of salvation through faith in Jesus. God loves the world and the people He made. He sent His Son to be the Savior of all people, but when Jesus was born and lived among us, many people did not want God’s guidance. Kings and rulers set themselves against the Messiah. The nations raged and the people plotted “against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us'” (Psalm 2:2b-3). Seeking to free themselves from the cords of God’s loving guidance and the bonds of His just judgment, they plotted against the Son of God and delivered Him up to be crucified. Yet this was all part of God’s design for our salvation, His plan established before the foundation of the world. Jesus suffered and died on the cross. The wrath of God, His just judgment against the sins of all nations, fell on His Son. By His death, Jesus atoned “for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2b).
“Let all the peoples praise You, O God!” Our psalm is a call to repentance and praise, telling us to place our trust and hope in the God who judges with equity, the God whose judgment fell, for the sake of our salvation, on His own Son. Our crucified and risen Savior is King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus reigns now over all nations and guides all things according to His will. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18b). With that authority He commands us to proclaim the Good News of salvation to all nations, for the day is coming when the King of kings will return in glory to judge the nations. On that great day, all people will bow before Him and all who trust in Him will be glad and sing for joy!
WE PRAY: Jesus, You are King of kings and Lord of lords. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Carol Geisler.
Reflection Questions:
1. Which is easier—judgment or forgiveness? Why?
2. Why would we want to praise God for His fair judgment of the world?
3. How does knowing God’s just judgment fell on Jesus—and not us—give you reason to thank and praise Him?
Today’s Bible Readings: 2 Samuel 16-18 John 5:1-24
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.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 Monday and new week to everyone! For any needs or prayer requests, please contact us.
