Tuesday, 14 September, 2004

This week’s devotions are written by Redeemer member John Caron.



This series of devotions will reflect on the rich material contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (LBW). Some of the texts will be familiar to those in the Lutheran tradition while others will be from infrequently used liturgies.



Lord God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Evening Prayer

LBW, p. 153

This has always been one of my most favorite prayers in the Lutheran Book of Worship – at least it is when things are going well. When I am in those “ventures of which I cannot see the ending,” I am less enamored with this piece of our liturgy! One gem in this prayer is that it does not ask God for courage but for faith. Courage is faith’s byproduct. Faith is the gift that God gives us to live out the Christian life day by day. We cannot generate faith through mental gymnastics, orthodox theology, or even a “purpose-driven life.” Faith comes to us because it is God’s nature to give faith freely and without any condition or preparation on our part. It is human nature that when we feel vulnerable we often attempt to gain control over our lives so that we can move ourselves past whatever troubles us. With the glut of self-help books out there, it is important to remember that when it comes to faith, self-help is the last thing we need!



Connection: I suspect that this prayer was included in the Evening Prayer liturgy for good reason. We often feel the terrors and fragility of life most acutely during the dark of night. In those times, keep saying “Faith is a gift. Faith is a gift. Faith is a gift!”



Prayer: God, you and only you can give us faith. Remind us that we can never manufacture faith; we can only accept it as your greatest gift of all!