The Pastor’s Corner

Prayer: Almighty God, we praise your name today because you have made us and redeemed us. Through the work of your Son, we have been purchased as a peculiar people, your treasured possession. You have called us by name, and we belong to you. Once, we were aliens and strangers to the covenant of promise but now have been brought near as your chosen people, adopted to be holy and blameless in your sight. We thank you for this great privilege of being sons and daughters of the Most High. We confess that we do not always walk worthy of the calling you have placed upon our lives. We desire, however, to do all that you have commanded us not because it will add to our union with you but out of love for all you have done for us. Be pleased, our Father, to grant us more of your Spirit and help us to walk in the newsless of life that your redeemed people possess by virtue of your eternal Son who gave his life a ransom for many. These things we pray in praise and thanksgiving through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer: Our glorious God, we boldly approach your throne today, having been given access to it through the work of the great High Priest, your Son, and our Lord. We come to plead for our churches and our families. We know that the people of old fell miserably and turned themselves to the cares of this world and idols of every kind because they failed to teach the next generation about you and your Word. As a result, they came under your Fatherly displeasure and were disciplined for their sin. We are also commanded to raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, to teach them all of your ways and commandments. We grieve our current world and the state of the church where your people are busy doing many things except those that are most needful. WE have failed, in many ways, to teach our children about you. We have been deceived into thinking that everything will work out if we merely bring them to church. Yet, the people of old had your very presence in the midst of them, and they still rebelled. How will we escape if we fail to teach the next generation about you? Forgive us, Father, for wasting precious time with those precious souls you have given to us. Please help us renew our zeal to honor your Word and obediently strive to teach our children the precious doctrines of our most holy religion. We pray these things in the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

Meditation for the day taken from "Everyday Prayer with John Calvin" written by Donald McKim:

Scripture: Matthew 21:18-22

The passage before us today is an odd narrative of Jesus cursing the fig tree. However, the fundamental issue in the actions of the Savior predicts those events that will soon take place for the temple and the old covenant system. However, the focus for today's meditation is on the words of the Savior in 21:21-22: "And Jesus answered them, 'Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." These words of the Lord have been often abused by those who seek to advance the "prosperity gospel." They argue that if we have enough faith, we can ask anything, and it will happen. Yet, what is often missing in their argument is that our faith is not in faith but the sovereign will of God. That is, as we pray, we must ask those things that are agreeable to God's will. If it is God's will to toss a mountain into the sea, it will be answered. In cases where we are not sure of God's will, we must lean upon his sovereign providence and trust his answers, even if they are contrary to what we asked. You see, true faith wants what God wants for us. We cannot manipulate God in our prayers, and we must resist the temptation to do so.

Prayer: Our merciful God, you who are triune, full of loving-kindness and goodness, we praise your name today, seeking to do your holy will in all that we do and in all that you order for us. WE are thankful that you are patient and kind with us as we pilgrim through this life as exiles in a strange land. We are thankful for your Word that declares that you have called us by name and that we belong to you. Though we may struggle through difficult seasons in a fallen world, we know that you have promised that the waters will not overwhelm us, and the fire will not consume us. We are humbled at your infinite love demonstrated in the crushing of your own Son that we might have hope and comfort and your great forgiveness for our many sins. Therefore, we look to you today as our sure hope and help, a mighty refuge in which we find comfort and rest. Please help us, Father. Please grant us a greater measure of your Spirit that we would serve you with great joy and delight all of our days. We pray these things in the name of your Son and our Lord. Amen.

Meditation for the day taken from Everyday Prayer with John Calvin written by Donald McKim:

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-9

The passage under consideration today is a familiar one. We know the story of what is known as "Palm Sunday." The phrase itself is not used in the Biblical record but derived from the worshipers' actions as Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time during his earthly ministry. In today's mediation, we are going to focus in on the "shouting" of the people found in Matt. 21:9, "and the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, 'Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest." There are a few items to note in this 'prayer' of the people. First, it is a prayer. The words used by the people are drawn from Ps. 118:25-26:

Prayer: Almighty and merciful God, you alone are the alone sovereign over all creation, for you have made all things, visible and invisible, in the space of six days, and all very good. Because you are the Creator, you have every right to demand worship and obedience from your creatures. Yet, in our stubborn and stiff-necked ways, we often worship the creature and not the Creator. Too often, we do our own thing and go our own way, offering violence to your just demands and moral law. Sadly, as your redeemed people, we do these things and bring your Fatherly displeasure. Forgive us, Lord. We know of the many examples of your people of old that rebelled against you. We seek to learn from them and their ways. Please help us to learn your Word so that we may not sin against you. Thank you for always being ready to forgive. Please be patient with us, and help us by your Spirit. We pray these things in the name of Christ. Amen.