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Daily Devotions *
—with Pastor Paul Owens
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Invitatory: “I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2-3
Greetings
This weekend you might enjoy a tailgate meal, a sit-down dinner, or a bar-be-que…but
the Original Chef prepares the best table of all for you. Here he comes now to
escort you through the valley and to his table.
(the
Chef’s hat)
Morning Prayer:
“Almighty, everlasting God, graciously look upon your church, for you alone are our strength and our salvation. Uphold us with your hand, that we may not stumble and fall; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”1
Text for the day — Psalm 23
“1 The
LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2He makes
me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
3he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for
his name’s sake. 4Even though I walk through the
darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff—
they comfort me. 5You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I
shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.
Prayer**
Gracious,
good Shepherd, thank you for the table you prepare before me: a sip of wine, a
morsel of bread, yet at the same time your body and your blood brimming over
with the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. Thank you! Deliver me and
your whole church from forgetting that you are with us…that the rod and staff of
your word and your presence can defeat anything the devil and his allies throw
at us. Send your Holy Spirit and sustain me as your sheep that I may delight in
your green pastures and your pathways…and may sing to others the praise of you,
my Good Shepherd. In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen.
Benediction:
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. II Cor 13:14
1K.B. Ritter, Gebete fur das jahr der Kirched, 2nd ed. Kassel: Barenreiter Verlag, 1948, p.220
* There are many patterns for devotions. This pattern has been followed by God’s people for centuries.
**The T.R.I.P. approach to prayer is based on the way Martin Luther prayed and taught others to pray. It was later developed by Walter and Ingrid Trobisch and then adapted by Mount Carmel Ministries (Alexandria, MN www.dailytext.com). The method is founded on scripture and easy to remember:
- T: thanksgiving
- R: repentance
- I: intercession (asking God to take a specific action)
- P: plan or purpose
Reading a biblical text and then applying this method gives one a sound, simple way to form one’s prayers...not to mention that it helps one learn how to faithfully reflect on God’s Word and talk to God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.