SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN CHURCH
READINGS, PRAYERS and DEVOTION
TUESDAY, JULY 5
NEWS: We pray everyone had a safe and fun holiday weekend. As we ease into mid-summer, there are some things going on. First, the Wednesday evening Women’s Bible study happens tomorrow evening, online, at 5 PM. For more information or to get the Zoom link to join in, please contact Kay Berni by email, kberni@aol.com
This Saturday the monthly Men’s Bible study/breakfast takes place, in the Fellowship Hall, at 9 AM. That will be followed by our monthly Work Party from 10 AM to Noon. Please bring your skills, talents or just plain desire to help fix up, dust off or tidy-up our church and property.
Saturday, July 16 at 4 PM we will be having Eat-O-Vision in our sanctuary. We’ll be watching the movie, “Meet Me in St. Louis” and serving food dishes based on scenes in the movie. No reservations are needed, just come and enjoy food, fellowship and a great, classic movie (safe for all)!
Reservations are being taken now for going to the San Diego Padres minor leagues team in Lake Elsinore, the Storm. Game date is August 12th at 7:00 PM and the cost is $14.00. This includes parking and one, non-alcoholic drink. RSVP by July 10th to Rick Adams. You can also contact him for more information via email, daddams@hotmail.com
PRAYERS: Today we especially pray for Gordon and Lois Friske. We offer our heartfelt prayers for the families, friends and loved ones of those killed while attending the 4th of July parade in Highland Park, IL (a north suburb of Chicago) yesterday. We pray as well for those injured and hospitalized. We ask the Lord to bring healing and guide the doctors and nurses as they do their good work. We include all the law enforcement officials too, as they do their investigative work.
READINGS: Psalm 68:1-6; Psalm 149; Joshua 23:1-16; Acts 12:1-25
DEVOTION:
Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
“Generosity”
Leviticus 18:1-3a; 19:9-10 – And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am the LORD your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived … When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.”
I have a friend from church who loves to garden. Every year she plans dozens and dozens of tomato plants from seed. These are specialty tomatoes—purple ones, pink ones, striped orange and yellow. And she cares for all of them until they are ready to go into the garden.
But there are always too many. She plants too many on purpose. Because when the time is right, she brings a huge tray of seedlings to the church, and invites people to pick out the ones they like and take them home to plant. Everyone benefits—especially those who don’t have the money to buy fancy tomatoes for their families. They will eat like kings, because of her generosity.
In today’s reading, God is telling the people of Israel to do something similar. They will plant crops and harvest them, but they are supposed to be deliberately careless in the harvest, leaving food behind. They will pick grapes from their vineyards, but if they drop any, they are supposed to let them lie. The food that grows around the edges of the field, or that gets overlooked on the fruit trees—that food is for anyone who needs it, for poor people, travelers, refugees. The Israelites are to live freely and generously—because God has been generous to them.
What has God done for them? God saved them from a life of slavery in Egypt, and you know that slaves must count every penny and each bite of food they get. For a slave, the future is never secure. They cannot trust their masters, and so they must hang onto any advantage they can get.
But now the people of Israel are slaves no longer. They are to trust in God to provide for them, and they too will help provide for their neighbors. It’s a whole new way of living—a wonderful way, freeing way. God calls us to live this way also, and why? Because He has done for us what He did for Israel—He has set us free from slavery to sin and death.
When we were slaves, we lived in fear of what would happen to us. But God had compassion on us and sent Jesus to set us free. It was a costly mission—the price of our freedom was Jesus’ own life. But He was glad to do it, because His love is generous. Looking at us, He counted it well worthwhile. And when He rose from the dead, He broke the power the fear of death held over us. Now all of us who trust in Jesus will live forever. That’s good reason to be generous!
WE PRAY: Dear Lord, live in me and through me to show Your generous love to the people around me. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. Who is the most generous person you know?
2. Why do you think so?
3. In what specific ways can you share Jesus’ generous love with others?
Today’s Bible Readings: 1 Kings 19-20 Acts 13:26-52
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 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 at pastor@svlchurch.org
