October 7, 2007
Vol. 1, no. 16
Beloved in the Lord: Grace and Peace to you in the name of the One True God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
Amen.
Pray continually; giving thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:17-18.
Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air,
His watchword at the gates of death—
He enters heaven with prayer*
Prayer is more than just a Christian’s native language, it is vital to our survival, just as oxygen is. This verse reminds me of several movies and TV shows I’ve seen about space travel. In these science fiction stories, the first thing space explorers do when they land on a new, uncharted planet is to check the atmosphere to see if it has oxygen. Without it they would die in an instant outside of their space suits. In many ways, Christians are like these science fiction space explorers and prayer is our “space suit.” Our faith cannot survive in this hostile environment of sin, death and the devil without an atmosphere of prayer to breathe. And yet, how many of us are “asthmatic” Christians? If you have ever had asthma or other breathing problems you know just how debilitating it is to not get enough oxygen. It is a great tragedy to see Christians gasping and floundering through their lives like fish out of water, like space men with no space suit, left to float in the vacuum of godlessness. Make prayer a priority and breathe in that wonderful, fresh air of newness of life in Christ! Take it to the Lord in prayer.
The Lord be with you,
Pastor Jim
*TLH 454, v. 5
Worship Practices
(Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: Why do we stand for the last verse of hymns when the Trinity is mentioned? Do we do this every time the Trinity is mentioned in a hymn?
A: When the final stanza in a hymn sings praises and glorifies the One, Holy, Triune God, it is called the doxology (from two Greek words=doxa (glory) + logos (word), which means to speak or proclaim glory). Our Lutheran Service Book Glossary defines the doxology as follows: Words of praise addressed to the Triune God. Hymns that conclude with a doxological stanza are so indicated with a triangle . We rise for the doxology out of reverence and awe for our Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is also appropriate to bow your head for the doxology or kneel. The doxology is found in many forms throughout our worship; in the Gloria Patri, at the end of Psalms, Introits and Canticles, at the end of the Gloria in Excelsis, at the end of Collects, even in the Sanctus, which does not name the three persons of the Trinity, but does sing of the three-holy God. As we worship, think about how and where the doxology is used. If you have children worshipping with you, encourage them to actively look for doxology. Our Divine Service is by no means a “spectator’s sport,” but something we joyfully join in, with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven!
Five Minutes with Herr Luther
Paul is absolutely correct when he says that God "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Ephesians 3:20). In contrast, our prayers tend to be weak and insignificant. Joseph didn't dare ask for what he finally received. His heart was like a bruised reed and a smoldering wick. His groaning was like smoke that rises straight to heaven. His heart was a real incense burner! The sweet aroma that comes from a humble, groaning heart pleases God. Though Joseph may have felt like he was dying, his groaning didn't cause any real harm.
Hang on. God will remain faithful. Don't despair. Cling to the truth the psalmist proclaims: "Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:14). The Lord won't extinguish a smoldering wick but instead will make it glow brightly. He won't break the bruised reed but instead will strengthen it (Isaiah 42:3).
God wants to give us more than we ask for, not just fulfill our weak prayers. Joseph asked for nothing more than to be rescued, released from prison, and returned to his father. God in heaven let him pray for a long time. In effect, God was saying, "You don't know what you are asking [Matthew 20:22]. I will give you more than all you ask or imagine [Ephesians 3:20]. That's why you have to wait a little longer. I want more of the smoke that rises straight to heaven." But later, Joseph received what he never could have imagined. He never would have had the confidence or courage to ask for it. We must recognize that God's wisdom, grace, mercy, and power are most certainly with us, as they were with Joseph. However, God usually doesn't give them to us in the way we ask for them.
*Faith Alone: A Daily Devotional, Martin Luther, Gen. Ed. James C. Galvin
Zondervan, Grand Rapids, copyright 2005
Hymn History
If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee
This hymn, written in 1641/42 by Georg Neumark, is the thankful response for God’s provision in all things. We often take for granted that God does indeed work for us in providing our daily bread, in house, home, land, animals, wife, children, clothes, food, drink, etc. Neumark writes of his unexpected appointment as a private tutor at a time when he was vainly seeking employment:
“This good fortune, which came so suddenly and, as it were, from heaven, gladdened my heart so that I, on the first day, to the glory of my God, composed the well-known hymn Wer nur den lieben Gott laest walten (If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee), for I had ample reason to thank God heartily for this unexpected grace, both then and to the end.”*
*Lutheran Worship Hymnal Companion,
Fred L. Precht. Concordia Publishing House, 1992.
Next Week’s Readings
Psalm 111
Ruth 1:1–19a
2 Timothy 2:1–13
Luke 17:11–19
Next Week’s Hymns
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty LSB 790
I Know My Faith Is Founded LSB 587
In the Shattered Bliss of Eden LSB 572
Thy Strong Word LSB 578
Thanks to Thee, O Christ, Victorious LSB 548
Praise and Thanksgiving LSB 789
The Lord be with you!
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, 908 W. Main Middleville, MI 49333 +269-795-2391+ goodshepherdlcms@gmail.com