Matthew
6:5-13; 7:7-11 – The
hymn of study this week is “Come, My
Soul, with Every Care” (LSB 779). In every need in every circumstance take
it to the Lord in prayer.
Jesus loves to answer prayer.
He himself bids you to pray.
He will never turn away,
large petitions with you bring.
For his grace and pow'r are such,
none can ever ask too much,
Lord, remove this load of sin;
let your blood, for sinners spilt,
set my conscience free from guilt,
take possession of my heart.
There your blood-bought right maintain,
and without a rival reign,
let your love my spirit cheer.
As my guide, my guard, my friend,
lead me to my journey's end,
ev'ry hour my strength renew.
I would have your will, not mine;
for it's perfect, good, and kind,
John Newton (b. London, England, 1725; d. London,
1807) was born into a Christian home, but his godly mother died when he was
seven, and he joined his father at sea when he was eleven. His licentious and
tumultuous sailing life included a flogging for attempted desertion from the
Royal Navy and captivity by a slave trader in West Africa. After his escape he
himself became the captain of a slave ship. Several factors contributed to
Newton's conversion: a near-drowning in 1748, the piety of his friend Mary
Catlett, (whom he married in 1750), and his reading of Thomas à Kempis'
Imitation of Christ. In 1754 he gave up the slave trade and, in association
with William Wilberforce, eventually became an ardent abolitionist. [2]
For the right
understanding of Christ: Almighty
God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us perfectly to know Your Son,
Jesus Christ, to be the way, the truth, and the life that following His steps
we may steadfastly walk in the way that leads to eternal life; through the same
Jesus Christ, our Lord.[3]
Collect for
Saturday of the week of Pentecost 7:
Father, grant us insight, so that we may look deep into your Word, and not
cling to superficial or shallow understandings. Grant us to focus that we may
not be mesmerized by shadows or illusions, but concentrate on the substance of
Your Word, and this we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen (Anonymous) [4] -23
July, 2022
[1] Lift High the Cross copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[3] Collect for the right understanding of Christ, Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis
[4] Collect for Saturday of the week of Pentecost 7, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
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