Monday, November 29, 2010

November 29 - Isaiah 5

O Lord, if You must take down our wall of protection due to our sin, may it result in our discipline rather than our destruction.  May the cross You lay upon us result in the sweet wine of patience, faith and mercy.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

November 20 (Anniversary of my Baptism) - Psalmody

StJohnsAshfield StainedGlass Baptism                                                                Image via Wikipedia
O Lord, You have opened to me the gates of righteousness,
so that I may enter and give thanks to you eternally.
My baptism served as Your gateway to my life of righteousness, innocence and holiness with Your Son forever.
I thank You for Your promise to answer my prayers always;
not just to rescue me, but to be my salvation.
Though the builders rejected Christ,
He has become the cornerstone my life, the life the whole Christian Church is built upon.
This is Your doing, O LORD, as You build Your Church upon the confession of faith;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that You, O LORD, have made;
   let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we pray, O LORD!
   O LORD, we pray, give us success!
You blessed me to come to You in Your name - of Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
And not just me, but a great multitude from every nation - so that we may bless You from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God,
   and You have made Your light, Jesus Christ, to shine upon us and deliver us from the domain of darkness.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
   up to the horns of the altar!
You are my God, and I will give thanks to You;
   You are my God; I will extol You.
 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
   for His steadfast love endures forever!
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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

November 10 - Jeremiah 23

In the midst of the condemnation of the priests who failed to shepherd and the Parable of the Talents - both texts doing their Law work of laying me low - there was this strengthening word that lifted up my head (Psalm 24:7ff) so that I might rejoice in the coming of my King, David's righteous branch:
The LORD is our righteousness.  (Jeremiah 23:6)
That is His name, the one who has come and will come again to save me and the rest of His people from their sins.  Amen.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

November 4 - Matthew 22

As the Law proclaims a second commandment to the great and first one, namely that you are to dress your love for God with words and deeds for your neighbor,
the Gospel proclaims that God has dressed His love for you with the saving words and deeds of the Christ, flesh and blood of David as His Son, yet David's Lord.
As the Pharisees try trapping Jesus with a Law question, so He works to trap them and us in this intriguing Gospel question.

Reasons to Pray When You are Slow and Lazy About Prayer

Chemnitz' list is well worth your time (HT: Paul McCain)