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.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, maker of all things. Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts. With them we offer ourselves to your service and dedicate our lives to the care and redemption of all that you have made, for the sake of him who gave himself for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Holy Communion
LBW, p. 88
There is a wonderful parallelism in this prayer when seen in the context of the Eucharistic liturgy. In this petition, we give our gifts and even our lives to the care of all creation. Then at the conclusion of this prayer, we move to the Great Thanksgiving where we remember the great act of redemption Christ initiated for the entire world. In one graceful movement, we proclaim that our lives are a reflection of Christ's ministry to humankind and to the entire creation.
Connection: It is more than the money! It is even more than "Time and Talent"! Our offering is no less than our whole lives dedicated to proclaiming God's loving reign. In a world that fears weapons of mass destruction, we bring the witness of mass redemption. May it never be said that this witness cannot be found!
Prayer: Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Amen.
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