Home > Reading > Daily Reading – March 4, 2022

17:11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

– John 17:11


Chapter 17 of the Gospel of John is a long-extended prayer. Verse 1 says that Jesus “lifted his eyes to heaven” and began to pray. Specifically, He prays for those the Father has given to Him. That is, for His disciples. That includes us. Jesus is praying for us and for all who will believe in Him throughout the centuries. He prays that His followers would be kept in God’s name and that they would be one. Let’s think about these two petitions.

First, what does it mean to be kept in God’s name? What does life look like when we are kept in God’s name? In his Small Catechism, Martin Luther provides a beautiful answer: “When the Word of God is taught clearly and purely [note those two adverbs!] and we, as children of God, lead holy lives in accordance with it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But whoever teaches and lives otherwise than as the Word of God teaches, profanes the name of God among us. From this preserve us, heavenly Father!” The clear and pure proclamation of God’s Word — Law and Gospel — is absolutely essential if we are to be kept in God’s name.

Second, Jesus prays that His followers would be one even as He is one with the Father. Obviously, the Church is splintered into many traditions and denominations. This compromises the witness of the Church. So, we work ecumenically and pray for greater visible unity among Christians.

However, as important as our ecumenical work is, it is just as important that individual congregations live in unity, harmony and in conformity to God’s Word. One of the four Core Values of the North American Lutheran Church is that we are Congregationally Focused. This means that we believe that congregations are on the front lines of ministry.

The North American Lutheran Seminary (NALS) is committed to educating and forming church leaders who teach clearly and purely the Word of God for the sake of congregational ministry. Good things happen when people hear and embrace God’s Word. Again, this is what it means to be kept in God’s name.

Certainly, there are no perfect pastors or perfect congregations. We are all works in progress. However, there are pastors and congregations who are seeking to keep God’s name holy and live in harmony under the authority of God’s Word. This promotes congregational joy, vitality and growth. Dear Father in heaven, may it be so in all of the congregations that gather in Your name.

Prayer: “God our Father, your Son Jesus prayed that his followers might be one. Make all Christians one with him as he is one with you, so that in peace and concord we may carry to the world the message of your love; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen” (Lutheran Book of Worship).

Devotion written by the Rev. Dr. Eric M. Riesen

This daily prayer and Bible reading guide, Devoted to Prayer (based on Acts 2:42), was conceived and prepared by the Rev. Andrew S. Ames Fuller, director of communications for the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). After a challenging year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been provided with a unique opportunity to revitalize the ancient practice of daily prayer and Scripture reading in our homes. While the Reading the Word of God three-year lectionary provided a much-needed and refreshing calendar for our congregations to engage in Scripture reading, this calendar includes a missing component of daily devotion: prayer. This guide is to provide the average layperson and pastor with the simple tools for sorting through the busyness of their lives and reclaiming an act of daily discipleship with their Lord. The daily readings follow the Lutheran Book of Worship two-year daily lectionary, which reflect the church calendar closely. The commemorations are adapted from Philip H. Pfatteicher’s New Book of Festivals and Commemorations, a proposed common calendar of the saints that builds from the Lutheran Book of Worship, but includes saints from many of those churches in ecumenical conversation with the NALC. The introductory portion is adapted from Christ Church (Plano)’s Pray Daily. Our hope is that this calendar and guide will provide new life for congregations learning and re-learning to pray in the midst of a difficult and changing world.

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