Learning the Faith by Heart

Speaking, Praying, and Singing God’s Word Together 

The Week of March 8 – March 15, 2026

Preparing for the Fourth Sunday in Lent 

Hymn of the Week: God Loved the World So That He Gave (571)

GLCA Learn by Heart Hymn: Awake My Heart with Gladness (467:1)  

GLCA Catechism Memory: Lord’s Prayer 1st Petition (All) + Explanation (2+)

Bible Verse Memory:

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16

Monday: Catechism Bible Study – Psalm 148 The psalmist writes that all of creation is to praise God’s name. Read Psalm 148. Why should the name of the Lord be praised? What has He done for His creation and His people? How can you praise the name of the Lord today? – Luther’s Small Catechism for Kids, pgs. 68-69

Tuesday: Old Testament – Isaiah 42:14–21 The Lord is grieved by the spiritual blindness of His people, yet in mercy He does not forsake them. He restrains His anger and keeps His peace, until He opens their ears and eyes to hear and see Him. Read vs 16. Notice how many times God emphasizes that He is the one who saves them from their blindness. What does this say about our relationship to God? Have you ever been in the pitch-black darkness and tried to find your own way? What happened?

Wednesday: “Book of Job: Blessed be the Name of the Lord” Lenten Sermon Series – Job 14:1–14 It is part of our sinful nature to look for hope in all the wrong places. How do you self-medicate when you are hurting? Why does Job say that there is hope for a tree? If there is hope for a tree, then there is hope for me! What does this look like in your life?

Thursday: Holy Gospel – John 9:1–41 We are all born spiritually blind, unable to see our sin and unwilling to do things God’s way, until the Light of World turns the darkness before us into light through Holy Baptism. Do you *see* (pun intended) any allusions to Baptism in this account of Jesus healing the blind man? 

Friday: Epistle – Ephesians 5:8–14 By our Baptism into Christ, we live in the eternal day of His resurrection, wherein He shines upon us. In what sense might you think of 5:14 as a “wake-up” call for when we fall back into the darkness of sin?

 The Order of Meditation and Prayer

The sign of the cross + may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism. 

Invocation 

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Apostles’ Creed 

I believe in God the Father Almighty…

Verse of the Week 

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16

Bible Reading for the Day (From Upcoming Readings for Sun, Portals of Prayer, or other Daily meditation)

This is the Word of the Lord. 

Thanks be to God. 

Hymn of the Week  

God Loved the World So That He Gave (571)

Catechism Memory 

Lord’s Prayer 1st Petition (All) + Explanation (2+)

The First Petition

Hallowed be Thy name.

What does this mean?

God’s name is certainly holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy among us also.

How is God’s name kept holy?

God’s name is kept holy when the Word of the God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to God’s Word profanes the name of God among us. Protect us from this, heavenly Father!

Family Prayers 

For___________________, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, have mercy.  

Lord’s Prayer 

Taught by our Lord and trusting in His promises, we are bold to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven…