VERSE: “ALLELUIA! Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven. ALLELUIA!” (Mt. 10:32; VERSE)
726; 659; 725; 728; 754 in Lutheran Service Book
Meditate on and learn by heart the hymn marked with an asterisk (*).
The Psalm: 91 (Pray the Psalm daily)
726: Evening an Morning
659*: Lord of Our Life
725: Children of the Heavenly Father
728: How Firm a Foundation
754: Entrust Your Days and Burdens
Psalm 91
The psalmist speaks of the security God’s people have in the round-the-clock concern and protection of a loving and powerful God. As if that weren’t enough, he also assigns angels to protect his people. To top it all off, at the end of the psalm God himself speaks, promising protection and rescue. What a wonderful psalm of assurance and comfort for us as we live in a world of difficulty and trouble. How can we not trust the one who sealed all these wonderful promises by giving his Son for us?
Jeremiah 20:7-13
The prophet brings a complaint against the Lord. Because he faithfully speaks the message of judgment God has given him, he faces threats and persecution. And yet he has no choice, he cannot keep quiet. The opposition he faces, however, does not cause Jeremiah to give up hope. He trusts that God is righteous and will in the end punish those who oppose his servant. Surely, such a just and faithful God is to be praised!
Romans 6:12-23
In this reading St. Paul speaks seriously about sin and the death to which it leads. He warns about letting sin rule over us, about thinking we might be able to somehow domesticate it. That’s impossible. Instead he urges us to be devoted to God, who has rescued us from death, and to dedicate ourselves to living in heartfelt obedience to God. It’s a stark truth, but St. Paul tells us that either we serve sin and earn death, or serve God having received the gracious gift of life in Christ Jesus. God grant us to follow Christ.
Matthew 10:5a, 21-33
Jesus makes it clear that Christians should not expect to be spared from difficulties in this life. After all, look what happened to him! There is, he says, a fate even worse than being killed for your faith—suffering eternal punishment for renouncing the faith. Jesus assures us that he loves us and has the power to preserve us. With this encouragement, the reading closes calling us urgently to remain faithful to Christ. God grant us the faith and confidence to continue trusting him, and to remain faithful even in the midst of difficulty and hardship.
| Monday | Proverbs 22:1-21 | John 18:1-14 |
| Tuesday | Proverbs 22:22-23:12 | John 18:15-40 |
| Wednesday | Proverbs 24:1-22 | John 19:1-22 |
| Thursday | Proverbs 25:1-22 | John 19:23-42 |
| Friday | Proverbs 27:1-24 | John 20:1-18 |
| Saturday | Proverbs 3o:1-9, 18-33 | John 20:19-31 |
| Sunday | Proverbs 31:10-32 | John 21:1-25 |
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS:
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT:
You shall have no other gods.
What does this mean?
We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT:
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by his name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.
THE COLLECT FOR NEXT SUNDAY [Proper 7] “O God, because Your abiding presence always goes with us, keep us aware of Your daily mercies that we may live secure and content in Your eternal love; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” AMEN!
