Mother’s Day Prayer 2019

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

The origins of this prayer is from a blogger I stumbled across a while ago. I have since modified and added to this prayer over the years as I have discovered motherly vocations that I have omitted. If you have ideas for additions and/or modifications to this prayer, please let me know. This continues to be a work in progress, but here it is for 2019…

This Mother’s Day, we give thanks for loving, wonderful mothers, who have given their children so many invaluable gifts. We give thanks for new mothers, welcoming new life into the world. We give thanks for those who choose their children, responding to a unique calling; adoptive and foster parents, who model the adoptive love of God. We give thanks for aunts and godmothers and neighbors, who share maternal love with so many children; and for far too often overlooked stepmothers. We give thanks for those who choose to remain without biological children, sharing love with the world in many ways.

Together we pray for the many mothers who have had to bear the unimaginable burden of burying a child, and those who have born the silent grief of stillbirth or miscarriage. For those who have had hope seemingly ripped away from them through a failed adoption. We pray for those who struggle with infertility, whose desire for a child is met with frustration. We pray for the mothers of children with special needs and chronic illness, who know anxiety and exhaustion better than most. We pray for those who were given abuse and heartbreak by the ones called to love them. We pray for mothers who have made the difficult and loving decision to entrust a child to adoptive parents. We remember mothers who parent alone for a variety of reasons, who deal with challenges that many can not understand but do so with grace and love.

We remember all women, who function in roles, names and not named, even though they may not have children as the world defines it, yet they are mothers to many by showing a motherly love, that is tender, compassionate, caring in a way that only a mother can show. Lord, we thank you for the gift of mothers, of all kinds.

Emanating Love

/ The Pastor

The warmth of this day reminds me of the warmth of Your love, oh God. The sun shines.
It’s rays beat upon me.
The light blinds my eyes.
The sweat seeps out.
And as the sweat trickles down my face, soaking my shirt, with its smell emanating from me, so may Your love overflow and emanate from my life. But as it does what will I do? As I hide the sweat on my body and the smell of it, will I hide the overflow of Your love?
May I never do so.
As the Son shines in my life:
May others take notice.
May people see the effects of Your love in my life.
May it’s aroma cause others to pause.
May I not mask what You are doing in me in an effort to avoid offense.
May Your love sweat in my life and drip from my soul.
May it’s sweet and pleasant aroma draw people unto You.
May Your Son shine through.
Oh Lord, my God, warm me with Your love through Christ Jesus my Lord. Amen.

All I Need

/ The Pastor

The following is the opening paragraph for the sermon I plan to give on Sunday, May 12 on John 10:22-30 using a bit of Psalm 23. If you want to hear the full sermon, stop by Living Word Lutheran Church on Sunday or check out our website later for the audio file. To God be the glory!

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The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want, for He is everything I need. The first part of that sentence you recognize as the opening of the beloved Psalm 23. It headlines a beautiful Psalm of salvation; describing the peace we have because of God: Green pastures, still waters, restoration for the weary, security in darkness, evil forces irrelevant, sustenance, bounteous provision and a place prepared especially for you forever. This peace is something we have by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a peace secured by God’s love and faithfulness. This peace assures us of the forgiveness of sins and thus peace with God. And this is the Truth that we can cling to for it has been stamped and sealed with the blood of the Lamb. This beloved Psalm also details a future that can not be altered by those who would oppose God, not even you. No one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:28) And therefore, through faith in Jesus, you WILL dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want, for He is everything I need. Do you hear his voice? Are you truly following?

Wanting Needs

/ The Pastor

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
[Psalm 23:1]

Have you ever wanted something so bad that you couldn’t think of anything else?
I really want that new phone.
I really want that new car.
I really want that job promotion.
I really want _________.
You get the point. Wants are dangerous as they redirect our attention from what we already have. For if you are part of God’s flock through Jesus Christ, then you already have everything you need. And when you see that you have everything you need, then your wants become what God deems that you need in order to glorify him. Your selfish wants won’t do that unless you need those wants to glorify God and God agrees with your wants and thus gives you what you need. If that be the case, then those wants are not selfish but needs that want God more.

[Whew, did you follow all of that?]

Basically, it’s all about God and thus God will ensure you that you have everything you need (Jesus) to want to glorify him.

Oh God, give me what I need to want You more. Amen.

This Day

/ The Pastor

Oh God, to You I pray
Through Christ the only way
Every second
Every moment
Oh God, I want to say

To You I live this day
To You I will obey
Every second
Every moment
With You I’ll be okay

So guide me in the Way
That You I may display
Every second
Every moment
Your love I will portray

All praise to You today
Your grace I will relay
Every second
Every moment
Oh God, to You I pray

Through Jesus I Win

/ The Pastor

Thine is the kingdom
Thine is the glory
I am Your child
In Your great story

Holy and mighty
Sovereign You are
Reigning forever
But never afar

A sinner am I
For that I confess
I am unholy
My life what a mess

Forgiveness a gift
Amazing for sure
I am unworthy
But You reassure

Repentance I want
Without a delay
For You are my God
And so I obey

Grant me Your Spirit
That I may proclaim
Teaching all others
The fame of Your name

For Jesus is Lord
He died for my sin
Though life here will end
Through Jesus I win

Leaves

/ The Pastor

I envy the leaf.
The wind blows,
from God knows where,
and the leaf goes.
It doesn’t resist.
It doesn’t suggest.
It doesn’t direct.
It simply goes with the wind.
Content
Obedient
Landing where the wind wills.
There the leaf does what leaves do,
until the next breeze comes along,
from God knows where.
Oh to trust God like that;
to ride the wind.
Content
Obedient
Doing what God made me to be.
Oh, to be a leaf.

The Gift

/ The Pastor

This is the Great Thanksgiving liturgy I wrote for Holy Communion today, based on the preaching text from John 20:19-29…

It is indeed right and salutary
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks and praise to you,
oh God,
Creator of life.
Your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ died on the cross
and rose from the dead that our sins would be forgiven.
This is awesome and incredible news,
but also unbelievable to our human brains.
For one thing we are sinners worthy of condemnation
and secondly dead people don’t come back to life.
But all thanks and praise to You
that You have given us the gift of Your Holy Spirit
that we can believe this Good News;
that Jesus is alive,
and thus be saved.
And so we join with the Church on earth and the hosts of heaven
in singing Your unending praise…

You

/ The Pastor

“There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.” [1 Samuel 2:2 ESV]

Holy God,
Father,
the Almighty,
there is indeed no one like You — not even close.
There is no one or no thing that can come close to comparing to You.
You are
Holy,
Sovereign,
Creator of all.
You are my God and thus I worship You.
You, oh Lord do I worship.
You
You
for You and You alone are worthy.
But what am I?
As the psalmist say, I am but a worm.
I am only worthy of condemnation and destruction.
Oh Lord, my God, have mercy on this worm,
a sinner,
wretched,
insolent
Have mercy, Lord, have mercy, in Jesus name.
Forgive me
Forgive me
Forgive me
May I sing Your praise day and night.
May I proclaim Your glory.
May I shout of Your salvation.
May I dwell in You.
For You are indeed my Rock and Salvation.
Ohhhh…
…there is no god like You,
for You are my Rock and Salvation.
You
You
only You.
You are my God.

Prayer for a New Day

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

Father God,
Your mighty hand has protected me throughout this past night;
graciously opening my eyes to see Your glory in a new day.
Though my aches and pains and troubles are still present,
You are more present,
Lord of all
Creator
Sovereign
Mighty
As Your mighty hand protected me through the might,
may Your mighty hand guide me through this day also,
not that I may be glorified but that I may bring glory to Your holy name.
Your majesty is all around.
Your glory is not hidden.
Your love is ever abounding.
Your mercy is great.
Holy God, loving Father, mighty Lord,
through Jesus Christ restore my soul,
revive my heart,
renew may faith.
May Your Way never depart from my eyes and heart.
Keep me
Hold me
Secure me
from the evil one.
And now, with You by my side, I am ready;
ready to take on this day.
To You be all honor, glory, thanks, praise and worship,
In Jesus name I pray,
Amen.