Sermon - 6-26-22

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Religion

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Matters of the Heart Please pray with me aloud or in your heart our Prayer of the Day: Sovereign God, ruler of all hearts, you call us to obey you, and you favor us with true freedom. Keep us faithful to the ways of your Son, that, leaving behind all that hinders us, we may steadfastly follow your paths, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen. I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; my heart teaches me night after night. I have set the Lord always before me; because God is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; my body also shall rest in hope…You will show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy, and in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:7-9. 11 I think I inherited it. Typically, I’ll wake up one or two times during the night, often from dreams, sometimes disturbing, sometimes pleasant, always bizarre. My dad was like that, waking up at 3:00 in the morning, lying on the couch, reading. Often when I go to bed, I’ll recite an ancient evening prayer: I give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have graciously protected me today. I ask you to forgive me all my sins, where I have done wrong, and graciously protect me tonight. Into your hands I commend myself: my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen. Sharing the disturbing aspects of those dreams with a friend this past week, he suggested beginning with words asking God to totally fill me during the night. And revisiting Martin Luther’s Small Catechism I found these instructions: In the evening, when you go to bed, you are to make the sign of the holy cross and say “God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over me. Amen.” Then, kneeling or standing, say the Apostles’ Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. Following the

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