Bible Readings and Devotion for November 1 through 3, 2020

Here are the references for the readings.  Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible:

November 1

Matthew 5:1-12

Revelation 4:1-11

Psalms 1, 15, 34

Isaiah 6

November 2

Luke 16:1-13 

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

Psalms 6, 7, 110-111

Isaiah 7

November 3

Luke 16:14-18

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Psalm 9-10

Isaiah 8

Devotion for November 1 through 3, 2020

By Pastor David Tinker

In my life of faith I keep being drawn back to our reading from Isaiah 6.  This is the scene when the Lord issues the call to Isaiah to preach God’s message to the people.  There are various aspects of the chapter which catch my attention.  I want to share with you one aspect which has been significant to me.

“I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple.”  This vision of the Lord in the Temple shows us that God is above all and is glorious and wonderful.  The authority of the Lord is immense, which is expressed by the description of his robe filling the Temple.

Years ago, I was visiting with the praise music team at a church I served previously.  They were practicing the song, “Open the Eyes of My Heart.”  They liked the song, but didn’t have a context for it.  We got to talking and I grabbed my Bible to show them more.  We looked at this passage and it opened their eyes to the joy of this song.  We talked about how when we sing this song we are entering a spiritual joy of our connection with the Lord.  We are connecting with that vision of Isaiah of the Temple.

As we reflect on this passage and that song, we get to see our place in God’s glorious house.  We are the people of today whom the Lord is calling to tell the world of God’s love.  We are the people of today who look up to our God with reverence, joy, love, respect, and honor.  We are the people who continue the song, Holy, Holy, Holy, with the angelic beings in heavenly glory. We are the people who are invited to know and serve the Lord today.

Here is a video which includes that song and lyrics:  https://youtu.be/idQ1n3cdgfo

You may need to skip an ad or two to get to the main video.

Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray, as you will, but always to your glory and the welfare of your people, through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

Prayer from Evangelical Lutheran Worship. Copyright © 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved.