Lent Season
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Today (25 Feb) is Ash Wednesday. It marks the beginning of the Lentern season up to Good Friday. Lent is the name given to the 40 days plus 6 Sundays before
Easter.
A time of repentance and reflection on the Passion of Christ, of abstinence and spiritual renewal.
Lent is a season of soul-searching and repentance. It is a season for reflection and taking stock. Lent originated in the very earliest days of the Church as a preparatory time for Easter, when the faithful rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for baptism. By observing the forty days of Lent, the individual Christian imitates JesusÂ’ withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. Lent has been observed in the church since apostolic times. -
29 Feb 04, FRIST SUNDAY OF LENT
Freedom For Me
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because...He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed" (Luke 4:18 ).
Most of us don't like to think about our own death. Before He was born, the Savior knew that His final hours would be spent on the Cross, dying to free us from sin. It helps me understand Jesus' sacrifice when I consider the story of another man who sacrificed his life, years ago, in Ragenbach, Germany. A crowd of people had assembled at an inn with the village blacksmith sitting near the door. When a mad dog rushed in, the smith grabbed the animal and held him down. Although the dog violently attacked him, he held on while his neighbors escaped. By the time the dog was shot, the man had already suffered mortal wounds. He consoled his friends saying, "Don't weep for me. I've only done my duty. Pray that God will not let me suffer long." Then the smith chained his body to an anvil and said, "Now you are safe. I cannot hurt you when I go mad. Bring me food while I am well, and keep out of my reach when I am mad. The rest I leave with God." His friends mourned him when he died nine days later.
There are similarities between the blacksmith's sacrifice and Christ's, but there are more differences. The Ragenbach smithy died for his friends, while Jesus offered Himself for His enemies. The blacksmith's offering was admired by those around him, while Jesus was, and still is, unappreciated by millions of those for whom He died. The blacksmith reacted without thinking. If he had foreseen the events of that day, he would have protected his friends in some easier way. But Jesus was always a voluntary participant in the Father's plan of redemption. For our Lord, there was no alternate avenue, no possible modification of God's blueprint. This Ash Wednesday, I give thanks for a Lord who was anointed to die for the poor, the imprisoned, the blind, the oppressed andÂ…me.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, May I ever be mindful that You willingly lived and died to free me. Thank You. Amen. -
Interesting.
I have always wondered what Lent was
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welcome pal!Originally posted by Photoshop:Interesting.
I have always wondered what Lent was
stay tuned every sunday to know more about Lent and its meaning.
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A Doctor For My Sin
"On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners'" (Mark 2:17)
When it comes to our health, all of us want the best medicine and doctors that money can buy. Most of us would say, "expense is no object." Thus, you might be surprised by the attitude of one well-respected physician. He found, as he became older and weaker, that his time and energy became more valuable. When a potential patient called for an appointment, he had an initial consultation. At that visit, he asked, "Are you sure that you have money to pay for this procedure?" Most didn't hesitate to say, "Absolutely." To those he suggested, "Since you have the resources, please go to another doctor. I am too weak to take care of a patient who has money." If the patient had no money, the doctor saw them at once.
Jesus was also a physician who only had time to help those who had nowhere else to go. He had little time or patience for those who thought they could buy God's forgiveness with their own good deeds. Our Lord entered this world to heal our sin-sick souls. During the three years of His ministry, Jesus was constantly surrounded by social outcasts. They entrusted their lives into His heavenly hands. Today, Jesus stands before me and asks, "Do you think you are able to pay for your salvation?" If I said yes, He would challenge me to face my weakness, my inability to measure up to God's righteousness. But I know I am a sinner, helpless and hopeless without Him. So Jesus says, "Come on in. There is no waiting room." Then, looking at every sin I have committed, examining the worst of my spiritual maladies, He prescribes a medicine which creates heavenly health. The Savior says to me, "Be washed in My blood and you will be saved."
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, forgive me for those times when I have trusted home remedies to cure me of my sin. Allow me to trust You, my personal Physician, Who takes away my sin. In Your Name. Amen. -
A Full Life For Me
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10)
Jesus said He had come to die so that I might have a full life. That is a wonderful gift! In World War I, a young man named Charlie was dying on the battlefield. Another soldier stopped to provide what comfort he could. In appreciation, Charlie gave him a piece of paper saying, "My father is a man of wealth in Detroit. Take him this note and he will repay you for this kindness." The note said, "Dear father, the bearer of this letter made my last moments easier and helped me to die. Help him for Charlie's sake." After the war, the battlefield Samaritan, finding no available work, went to the father. Because of his hobo-like appearance, he was denied admission to the house and simply handed over the little soiled piece of paper. When the father saw his son's handwriting, everything changed. He put at the veteran's disposal everything money could buy. Charlie's name gave the soldier a good life.
There are, of course, noticeable contrasts between the actions of an earthly father and that of our Heavenly Father. For example, no earthly father would send his son into a battle if he knew that boy would certainly die. No earthly father would allow his son to be killed so that someone else might have an abundant life. Yet, that is exactly what God did for me. Into a world that had repeatedly rejected His messengers, God sent His Son. Unlike Charlie's friend, we often don't even appreciate the sacrifice God made in Jesus. The Lamb of God carried the punishment that we deserved. He has given us everything His blood could buy. The Savior says to me, "I have come so you might have life and have it to the full."
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, You have given me a full life even though I don't deserve it, and often don't appreciate it. Fill my heart with gratitude for Your gift. In Your Name. Amen. -
What Would They Say About Me?
"When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her" (Matthew 26:12-13)
Jesus said to me that it's right for His followers to do something to glorify Him. We certainly don't want to be like the husband who refused to open the car door for his wife. "It is sort of a sissy thing to do. Besides," he said, "My wife has two perfectly good arms." That unappreciative attitude spilled over to many areas of his marriage, and common courtesies became quite uncommon. That's the way things were until the wife died, and the heartbroken husband realized how much he loved her. On the day of her funeral, the pallbearers carried her casket to the car. In a minor mix-up, the husband and his children reached the hearse first. The funeral director whispered to the husband, "John, open the car door for her, won't you?" John reached for the door handle and then he stopped. He sobbed as he realized that this would be the first, and last, time he would perform this small gesture for the lady he loved.
That story reminds me of all the times I could have done something to praise my Savior and chose not to. Unlike the woman who came to Jesus with perfume, tears, and a repentant heart, I come expecting Him to be good to me, to save me. I take His precious sacrifice for granted-half-heartedly worshipping, inattentively praying, serving without sacrifice. That should change. Not because I want to be remembered, but because the Savior who fulfilled the law for me, suffered for me, died and rose for me, deserves it. It should change because the Savior should be remembered. "Glorify the Lord," the Savior says to me.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, forgive me for giving You the leftovers of my life and loyalty. Allow me to see and appreciate Your sacrifice and give it the honor it deserves. In Your Name. Amen. -
Share My Gifts
If anyone asks you, 'Why are you doing this?' tell him, 'The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'" (Mark 11:3)
The Lord Jesus says that I should be ready to share the gifts He has entrusted to my care. Years before the Savior was born in Bethlehem, a prince came to Athens seeking a position of service under the successful Athenian admiral, Cimon. So that he might be assured of a favorable audience, he brought a container filled with gold, and another overflowing with silver. He placed both at Cimon's feet. Cimon smiled and asked, "Sir, what would you prefer? To have me as your paid mercenary, or your friend?"
"I would have you as my friend," the prince replied.
"In that case," Cimon said, "take these things away. If I am your friend, your money will be mine whenever I need it."
As the Savior prepared for His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, His disciples requested a donkey from an unnamed man. I suspect that this man had a soft spot in his heart toward Jesus and that's why the disciples didn't commandeer the donkey. They simply said, "The Lord needs it." With those words, the question was settled. How different has been my response to the Lord's requests. He has asked me to be compassionate, and I have assumed He meant someone else. He has said He would like to use my time in volunteer service, and I got busy doing other things. If the disciples had come to me, I might have said, "Borrow someone else's donkey. I need mine." But the Lord of life Who held nothing back in His saving me has the right to ask for anything. Whatever He asks, it would still be far too small a gift of thanks. Next time the Lord says to me, "I need something," I believe my answer will be different.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, forgive me for ignoring Your requests for help. Open my heart to hear You and respond with gladness and gratitude. In Your Name. Amen. -
Would I Keep Quiet?
"'I tell you,' He replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out'"
(Luke 19:40)
Jesus said that if I do not praise Him, the stones would shout their own hallelujahs. He was right. I've seen it, or something like it, happen. In the nine years I knew Margaret, there wasn't a single winter that she wasn't hospitalized for pneumonia or some other major ailment. But we could count on her to be in church the Sunday immediately following her release. Margaret had to praise the Lord! When her foot was amputated, she did not become a shut-in. The Sunday after she left the hospital, her husband wheeled her into church. She wore the kind of smile that told everybody that Jesus was alive and well-and at our church. The Sunday we had the worst Minnesota snowstorm of the season, church attendance was halved. But Margaret was there, wearing her new prosthetic foot and that priceless smile. She simply had to praise her Savior.
I've known other people like Margaret. People whose life becomes a song of praise to the Lord. But most of us are not like that. We're the kind of people who yell at the TV during a football game and will give a standing ovation at an exceptional concert, but at church we prefer not draw attention to ourselves. We want the choir to sing their praises while we sit back and rate the music according to the degree of difficulty. We're not against praising God, but we're not exactly for it either. Jesus would not have been content with silence that day He rode into Jerusalem, and He is probably not happy with it now. The change our living Lord makes in our lives is worthy of shouting from the housetops, not whispering in the closets. Jesus says to me, "If you keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
Prayer:
Dear Lord, forgive me for being a silent, spectating Christian. Make me a voice to witness to others what You have done. In Your Name. Amen. -
Could Jesus Say This To Me?
"May you never bear fruit again!" (Matthew 21:19)
Jesus said to me that I should bear fruit, witnessing to His life in me. In the Civil War, General Lee invaded the North and was approaching Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Hearing of the Confederate's movement, a Dutch lady in Gettysburg, Hannah, grabbed the fireplace poker and started down the road to confront the invaders. She did not get to fight, but after the war, the ladies of Gettysburg teased her, "Hannah, what in the world did you expect to do with that old poker against the entire Southern army?" Hannah replied, in her Pennsylvania Dutch accent, "Vell, I dint expect to do nodings, but I left em know what side I vas on, din't I!" ("Well, I didn't expect to do anything, but I let them know what side I was on, didn't I!" )
So strongly did the Lord feel about producing fruit, that He showed little patience with those slackers who tried to minimally serve two masters, or no masters. He cursed neutrality. He was sad when the rich ruler left without a commitment (Matthew 19:16-22). Jesus wants dedication from those who meet Him. He expects us to produce fruit, to show what side we're on. Jesus doesn't have much use for people who treat the wonderful things He has done in their lives as if they were of no consequence. He knows indifference is the devil's ally.
If Jesus had been in that Gettysburg parlor, He would have been pleased with Hannah. Jesus always liked the idea of people showing whose side they were on. That's why He praised the thief on the cross who made a confession of belief (Luke 23:42-43) and the woman who washed His feet with her hair (Luke 7:36-50). They showed their appreciation of His mission and His sacrifice. The work He has done to save our souls should never leave anyone fruitless. Jesus should never have to say to me, "May you never bear fruit again!"
Prayer:
Dear Lord, too often, like the fig tree, I have looked good on the outside, but produced no results that will nourish others. Change my shortcomings. In Your Name. Amen. -
7 March 04,SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT
Drinking From The Cup
"'You don't know what you are asking,' Jesus said to them. 'Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?'" (Matthew 20:22)
Jesus said to me, "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?"
"I've been a good Christian for quite a few years," I replied.
"You didn't answer My question. Can you drink My cup?" That's when I thought about a time, years ago, when the doomed ship Empress of Ireland set sail. Among the passengers were 130 Salvation Army officers. The ship sank, and while it was going down, the crew discovered that there weren't enough life jackets for everyone. Rescuers found 109 of the 130 Salvation Army officers dead because each had strapped their lifejacket onto someone else. Could I drink the cup of those Salvation Army officers? How about the cup of the men and women who died as martyrs in ancient Rome? Can I drink the cup of the congregation in Bangladesh where 10 believers were killed in a bomb blast? If I doubt my ability to drink from the cup of fellow humans who have paid dearly for their faith, how can I even consider drinking from my Savior's cup?
It would be impossible. Only Jesus could do it. He kept the laws, when I regularly break them. He gave freely, while I am selfish. He was silent in the face of false accusations, when I would have loudly defended myself. Jesus died for those who neither loved nor liked Him. I have difficulty contributing to the welfare of my own brothers and sisters. No, I cannot drink the cup of unjust accusations, unfair trials, and painful death except through the power of Jesus Christ. I give thanks for a suffering Savior Who drank pain here below, so I might have joy up above. When Jesus says, "Can you drink My cup?" I say, "Dear Lord, only by Your power."
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, forgive me when I think that I am virtuous and good. I am the most miserable of sinners and rely on Your mercy. Empower me to live more like You. In Your Name. Amen. -
My Forgiveness Counts
"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins" (Mark 11:25)
The Savior said to me, "From the cross, I forgave the sins of the world. At your baptism, I forgave you and brought you into My family. Are you ready to forgive others? It's important that you forgive others like I have forgiven you." Then I began to think of the people against whom I have held a grudge. I realized that my failure to forgive had hurt me more than it had hurt them. I remembered a story from World War II. The crew of U. S. submarine Tang could hardly believe their good luck when they came, at night, upon a large Japanese convoy off the coast of China. They surfaced and prepared to fire the eight torpedoes they had left. The first seven shots were right on target, but when the eighth was launched, something malfunctioned. The torpedo abruptly turned and headed right back at them. The captain rang the emergency submerge call, but it was too late. The Tang received a direct hit and sank.
I wonder how many torpedo-like grudges I have fired at others that have turned around and sunk my own ship. Jesus would say that it happens every time. Whenever I fire at those who have done me real, or imagined, harm I cheapen the forgiveness that Jesus has won for me at such a high price. Do I expect God to forgive my many sins, but refuse to forgive the few and feeble sins that others have committed against me? I must go to the foot of the cross and see the Savior destroy the sins of every man, woman, and child who have ever lived. From the cross I hear Jesus say, "Father, forgive them," and I know that I cannot keep firing the torpedoes of unmercifulness. Now, when the Savior says to me, "Are you ready to forgive?" I reply, "By Your grace, dear Lord."
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, You have forgiven all my sins. Create a new heart within me so I may forgive others. In Your Name. Amen. -
I Don't Like Caesar
"Then Jesus said to them, 'Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's'" (Matthew 22:21)
Jesus asked me, "Do you recognize God's claim upon you, even as you do that of your country?" I pray I do. After all, someday the government's claim on me will end, and I will be alone with my Creator. On March 15, 1989, Zita, the last empress of Austria and the last queen of Hungary, died. Zita was buried, as had so many of the Hapsburgs who preceded her, in the royal crypt in Vienna. When the funeral procession arrived at the crypt, someone knocked on the door. From in the crypt, a monk asked, "Who is there?" They answered, "Zita, Empress of Austria, Queen of Hungary and of Bohemia, Princess of Bourbon-Parma," and were denied admittance. A second time someone knocked. "Who is there?" "Empress Zita," was the answer. The door remained locked. There came yet a third knock. "Who is there?" "Zita, a poor sinner," was the answer. Then the door was opened. In death, the empress had become a simple, sinful soul before God.
It does not matter if you are an empress, queen, or princess; the day will come when your nation will be gone and you will stand alone before your Creator. The riches of the whole world do not matter in the divine balance sheet. On that day only one thing will matter: is Jesus Christ your Savior and Lord? If He is, you will have lived with thanksgiving to Him. Recently, I talked to a man who had stopped participating at church. "Why do you forget the Lord when you would never forget to pay your taxes?" I asked. "Well, pastor," he said, "I guess it's because the Lord doesn't push as hard as the government does." He doesn't push as hard, but He certainly gives us more! The next time Jesus asks, "Will you recognize God's claim upon you?" I will say, "Dear Lord, with joy!"
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, forgive me for worrying more about tax rates than I do about the spiritual condition of my friends and family. Help me to make a proper rendering. In Your Name. Amen. -
My Poor Gift
"All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on" (Luke 21:4)
Jesus said to me, "Look at that lady. Isn't it wonderful when people trust Me to take care of them rather than relying upon themselves or their money? When that happens, they have the right priorities." I would like to share a true story of such a right-prioritized lady. At Sunday worship in North Dakota, an elderly woman named Mary fainted and struck her head on the end of the pew. An ambulance was called, and as the paramedics strapped Mary to a stretcher and headed her out the door, she regained consciousness. Weakly, she motioned for her daughter to come near. The church trustees were probably hoping that she was not threatening the congregation with a lawsuit, and everyone else probably assumed that she was using her last bit of strength to share a final request. The daughter, with her ear next to her mother's mouth, heard the whispered words, "My offering envelope is in my purse."
Like the widow Jesus praised for confidently placing her future into the Lord's hands, Mary trusted God to care for her. Both of these ladies knew, as all Christians should, that their lives can be entrusted to the Lord with complete confidence. He Who cared enough to redeem our souls from sin, death and Satan by sending His Son to die upon the cross, will not leave us or forsake us. He has clearly told, and shown, us that it is His job to take care of us. Through failures and fears, through frustrations and foolishness, He will watch over us. In response, by the power of the Holy Spirit, our task is "to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him" (Luther). When Jesus says to me, "Isn't it wonderful when people trust Me?" I can reply, "Yes, Lord, and I pray that I might always be one of them."
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, forgive me when I think that I can, or should, control my life. Grant me the confidence to say, "Thy will be done." In Your Name. Amen. -
A Life Worth Keeping
"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:25)
Jesus said to me, "Everybody invests his or her life in something. Isn't it better to invest it in something worthwhile?" I can't vouch for the truth of the following story, but it does illustrate the point. During World War II, the Nazis were trying to crush the resistance movement in Italy. Hastily, they rounded up anyone who seemed suspicious, including some who had been totally uninvolved. When the officer in charge was unable to separate the guilty from the innocent, he ordered the entire group to be executed. On the day of execution, one man pleaded, "I am innocent. I didn't do anything!" A resistance leader confronted him furiously, "You didn't do anything? I don't understand. Our lives were being destroyed! Minds were being warped and institutions were being subverted. How could you not do anything? If those things weren't enough to make you do something, then you deserve to be punished."
God saw our lives being destroyed and He took a stand against sin, Satan, and death. These invaders had warped our minds, hearts, and souls. Because we were incapable of saving ourselves, He sent His Son into this world. For thirty-three years, Jesus resisted every sin, temptation, and terror thrown at Him. He invested His life in us so that we might have new lives. Now, as we have been saved by the work of the Christ, the Father asks us to lose our lives in Jesus. He wants us to invest ourselves in giving thanks to Him. Every day He asks us to become part of Christ's resistance movement against humankind's enemies. So, when Jesus says to me, "Do you feel you have lost your life?" I can reply, "No Lord, I have not lost it. I have given it to You, who first gave to me."
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, grant me the wisdom to find the one thing that is worthwhile and shall not be taken away. Give my days glorious purpose in serving You. In Your Name. Amen. -
Glory In Suffering
"Now My heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour?' No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name!" (John 12:27-28 )
Jesus said to me, "Have you ever noticed that when people are confronted with a difficult choice, most of them try to hide rather than face it?" Some years ago Premier Nikita Khrushchev was speaking before the Supreme Soviet. At that time, the late Premier, Josef Stalin, had fallen from grace, and Khrushchev was being severely critical of his old boss. While he was speaking, someone from the audience sent up an anonymous note that read, "What were you doing when Stalin committed all these atrocities?" Khrushchev stopped, gave a scowl and then shouted, "I demand to know, who is the person who has sent up this note?" No one moved. "I'll give the author one minute to stand up!" Khrushchev said. Still no one moved. Finally, the Premier said, "I'll tell you what I was doing. I was doing exactly what the writer of this note is doing-exactly nothing! I was afraid to be counted!"
Each day of His life, our Savior stood up to be counted. He was counted when the devil tempted Him in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13). He was counted when the sins of the entire world were laid upon His shoulders in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-39). He was counted when He remained on the cross rather than saving Himself (Matthew 27:39-44). Every time Jesus had a choice between hiding or facing a difficult situation, He stood up to the test. Everything He did glorified His Father and won forgiveness of our sins. By His power, I know what to do. When a difficult choice arises in my life and the Savior says to me, "Will you hide or face this trial?" I will reply, "Father, let me glorify Your Name."
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I have often chosen to hide rather than face something difficult. Grant me courage and trust to know that You will be by my side. Let me glorify my Father's Name. Amen. -
14 Mar 04, THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT
Walk In The Light
"Then Jesus told them, 'You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going'" (John 12:35).
The Savior said to me, "Do you know how dark darkness can be?" I don't, but I know someone who does. Borja was involved in the struggle for democracy in Ecuador and was arrested for it. Without a trial, he was thrown into a cold, windowless dungeon. There was no light in the room, and for three days he endured the kind of timeless darkness that has been known to drive a person mad. Just when the situation seemed unbearable, the huge steel door of his cell opened, and someone crept into the darkness. Borja heard the person working on something in the opposite corner. Without saying a word, the figure crept out and closed the door. Minutes later the cell blazed with light. Someone, perhaps at the risk of his own life, had connected electricity to the light fixture. "From that moment," explains Borja, "my imprisonment had hope because at least I could see." That is a man who understands darkness.
To save us from a darkness that would never end, Jesus, the Light of the world, entered our dark cell. He died to bring the light of hope to you and me. He invites us to bring His light to our friends, family, and co-workers who remain in the dark. The clock is ticking. The time will soon come when it will be too late for them to see their Savior. That is why Jesus wants to use us to bring hope, through Word and Sacrament, to those who are angry and alone, frightened and frustrated. Jesus said to me, "Do you know how dark darkness can be?" No, and I don't want anybody else to know, either.
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for the hope You have given me. Use me to share Your light with others. In Your Name. Amen. -
A God Of The Living
"He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive" (Luke 20:3
Jesus said to me, "I want you to remember that the Triune God is the only Ruler over life and death." Jesus told me that because He knows we often forget. That certainly was the case for a general in emperor Napoleon's army. The general had been enthusiastically devoted to Bonaparte through many campaigns. When he was mortally wounded, clinging to the last threads of life, he requested that his chief come to him. He had seen the emperor defeat many enemies and expected he could also defeat this. Napoleon came and the general pleaded with his leader to save his life. Napoleon sadly shook his head and, without a word of comfort, turned away from his old friend. But, as the tent door closed, the dying friend screamed, "Save me, Napoleon! Save me!" In the hour of death, that general discovered what every human being will eventually learn: only God is Ruler over life and death.
That may sound like a simple enough concept for anybody to grasp, but apparently that is not the case. Even though all of us will die, many still do not put their trust for eternity in God. Even when the end is obviously coming, when the doctors, like Napoleon, shake their heads and say, "There is nothing we can do," some still do not turn to the Lord. The grave does not have to be the end. Jesus came into this world so we could know the God of the living and the dead. His death and resurrection reveal, to anyone who will take a serious look, that death is not the end of life. The grave does not have the final victory. When Jesus says to me, "I am Ruler over life and death," I can say, "Thank God, it is so."
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, make me see, and trust in, Your power when I must say an earthly goodbye to a loved one. In Your Name. Amen. -
God Sees It Differently
"Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: "The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,"'" (Matthew 21:42)
Jesus said to me, "Sometimes things end up being more valuable than what they first seemed." Maybe you have heard about the lady who, as the Titanic sunk, raced to her stateroom and pushed aside her diamonds and furs to grab three oranges. Half an hour earlier, she would not have chosen a crate of oranges over even the poorest of her diamonds. But, as death loomed and she knew food would be scarce, her definition of priceless changed. Another example of this concept is the gem dealer who was browsing at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. He spotted a blue-violet stone the size and shape of a potato. He asked the vendor, "Are you sure you want $15 for this?" Knowing the rock wasn't as pretty as others in the bin, the seller immediately lowered the price to $10. That stone is a 1,905-carat natural star sapphire and has been appraised at $2.28 million. Things can end up being more valuable than you first thought.
That was certainly true for Jesus, the Son of God. His hometown reduced His identity to "the carpenter's Son." The Pharisees labeled Him a deceiver, someone possessed by the devil. Pilate considered Jesus a mere man, albeit an innocent one. Today, some scholars think of Him as simply a teacher, a moralist, a social activist, and a philosopher. Yet, to those who see Him with the eyes of faith, Jesus is far more. He is the Savior, the Capstone of our faith. He is the One who has taken our place under the law and made eternal life in paradise a reality. The Stone this world continues to reject is more valuable than they know. So, when Jesus says to me, "What value do I have to you?" I say, "Dear Lord, as a forgiven sinner I value You."
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, some things lose value, others things gain. You are a Constant in my life. Always there. Always faithful. Always saving. Allow me to value Your sacrifice. Amen. -
Looks Good To Me
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean"
(Matthew 23:27)
The Savior said to me, "I wish people would learn to examine the inside of things as carefully as they do the outside." King David, the greatest king of Israel, knew what it was like to be judged by how he looked. When he was a little boy, too young to fight in Israel's army, he was sent to run errands for his older brothers who were soldiers. One day he came to the battle lines and found Israel's bravest men afraid to fight the enemy because of one large, intimidating man named Goliath. Each day for forty days, Goliath had challenged any one Israelite to battle him, but all the men of Israel were too afraid.
David volunteered to fight Goliath, but no one believed he could do it. The king said, "You are only a boy, and [Goliath] has been a fighting man from his youth" (1 Samuel 17:33). The king was judging by David's appearance. But David knew God was with him, and that's why he conquered Goliath with just one small pebble launched from his slingshot.
The inside of things can often be quite different than the outside. Jesus did not come in the way the world expected. The Jewish people were waiting for a savior, but they thought He would come as an earthly king, fighting wars and claiming military victory over Israel's enemies. Instead, Jesus came as a helpless infant, a religious teacher who ate with sinners, a Savior who suffered the ugly death of a criminal. From the cradle to the cross, He reached out to sinners and pronounced forgiveness to the most wretched. He didn't look like what we expected, but He is just what we need. When He asks me, "Do you doubt Me because I appear weak by the world's standards?" I reply, "With Your help, Lord, I will trust You every day of my life."
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for using the weak things of this world for Your glory. Please use me to serve You. In Your Name. Amen. -
21 Mar 04, FORTH SUNDAY OF LENT
God's Dress Code
"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?'" (Matthew 22:11-12)
Jesus said to me, "One of the things that never ceases to amaze Me is how many people try to sneak into heaven rather than going through the door that I have opened for them." That's how it started out for a woman from London who wanted to be prayed for at a religious meeting. She wanted to be saved, but, because of her social standing, wanted to remain unknown. She asked the pastor who conducted the meetings, "Will you pray for me, please? But do not mention my name. It would cause too much embarrassment for me." When every head was bowed and there was perfect silence, the pastor prayed, "O Lord, there is a young person here who does not want her name known, but Thou dost know her. We ask that Thou wouldst save her precious soul." There was stillness for a moment, and then, from way back in the assembly, a figure stood up. The lady's small, quiet voice said, "Please, it's me, dear Jesus. He means me." The more she had thought about it, the hungrier her heart was to have faith on Jesus' terms, not hers.
That lady is not alone. Many people want to get into heaven's wedding feast, but want to rewrite the invitation. Rather than being clothed in the white garment of forgiveness through Christ they try to wear their own designer clothing. One person thinks Baptism is inconsequential, another says that all religions get you into the wedding feast, another thinks his own good life is the ticket to a happy eternity. God says there is only one way: the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanses us from sin. When Jesus says to me, "How are you going to get to heaven?" I will say, "By You, dear Jesus, by You."
Prayer:
Dear Lord, You have called me by name and I am Yours. Let those who are trying to rewrite Your invitation to heaven's feast see that they will be welcomed by Your grace. In Your Name. Amen. -
A Sucker Born Every Minute
"Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming, "I am the Christ," and will deceive many'" (Matthew 24:4)
Jesus said to me, "Tell people there are still a lot of false saviors out there." So there are. Over the years, millions of intelligent, sincere people have ended up following counterfeit messiahs. As Christians, our job is to recognize that which is fake and point others to the Real Savior, Jesus Christ. We might take a lesson from the officers in the US Treasury. Their job is to track down counterfeit bills and the criminals who make and distribute them. You might think these officers would study all the different types of fake money being printed so they could identify counterfeits. But they don't. Instead, they spend hours with real money, getting to know how the bills look and feel. By knowing the real thing very well, counterfeits stand out easily.
In the religious world today, some people selectively believe Jesus' teachings, throwing out some and keeping others. There are messed up messiahs who say that they, not Jesus, are the way, truth, and life. No matter how strange these doctrines, there are people who willingly gamble their lives, and their eternities, on these false messiahs. To combat them, we must become well acquainted with Jesus and all that He teaches. We need to see how He finds the lost, how He reaches out to those who were unreachable, how He befriends those who have no one else. We need to hear and believe Scripture when it says there is no other Name that can save us. When we know God and His love this way, we will be able to clearly identify all false doctrines and messiahs. When Jesus says to me, "There are a lot of false messiahs in the world." I can reply, "Yes, Lord, but I know the Real Thing."
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being Truthful and Real. Send Your Holy Spirit to defeat all who compromise the message of salvation, and call back those who have been confused by counterfeits. In Your Name. Amen. -
Sifted Like Wheat
"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:31-32)
Jesus said to me, "I pray those who follow Me may always be secure in their faith." Years ago, after the Portuguese had withdrawn from Angola, the nation fell into tribal unrest and civil war. Today, bridges have become untrustworthy, and the roads are pocked with potholes. Recently, a representative from a Christian charity organization was on a fact-finding mission in that war torn country. He noticed that his driver made no attempt to miss the deep holes and ruts in the road. On the contrary, it seemed like he tried to hit those axle-breakers. When they came to a stretch of road that had been repaired, the driver almost always headed for the side of the road. He finally asked the driver why he was avoiding those patches of improved road. "I avoid the smooth spots because that's where the land mines are."
When Jesus' disciple, Simon Peter, hit the smooth spots of life his faith failed and he encountered the devil's land mines. When Peter encouraged Jesus to take the easy road and not go to Jerusalem, he stepped on a land mine. When he tried to take the smooth road of anonymity by denying He knew Jesus, he hit a land mine. In contrast, our Savior never took the smooth road. He didn't defend Himself against false accusations. He didn't even save Himself from death on a cross. Have you headed for smooth road and stepped on a spiritual land mine? Jesus can take you past it and, after you have survived, you can come back and strengthen others. Jesus said to me, "I will keep you in the faith, even when you hit a land mine."
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, help me survive the smooth road where the devil has planted his land mines. When I, through my own weakness, trigger one, take me through, patch me up, and let me be Your witness to others. In Your Name. Amen. -
More Than Company
"Then he said to them, 'My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me'" (Matthew 26:3
Jesus said to me, "Sorrowful souls hate to feel they are alone." When Charles Ballard's father committed suicide, Ballard was hurled into the pain of lonely sorrow. He recalls two particular ways the people close to him helped him not feel so alone. One was a visit from his pastor, who visited Ballard soon after his father's death. They didn't talk much, and the pastor didn't try to make him feel better. He simply shared Ballard's sadness for a while. The second was spending a long weekend away with a friend's family. Like the pastor, they didn't offer any solutions to his sadness or try to answer the questions that arise when a loved one dies. They were simply with him.
When Jesus faced the loneliest hour of His life, the night before His crucifixion, He asked three of His disciples to stay awake with Him while He prayed. The three men fell asleep, leaving Jesus completely alone with God. Jesus knows what it's like to feel completely alone. After His resurrection, His appearances to hundreds where He showed that the grave is not the end, even as He ascended into heaven, Jesus promised, "I am with you always." The Christian imprisoned for his faith has a Savior who says, "I am with you always," and he finds strength. The person dying of cancer can rely on those same words. The senior citizen who has outlived both friends and family hears the Lord whisper, "I am with you." It is a joy to all who believe. It is a joy to hear the Lord say, "Because of Me, sorrowful souls never have to feel alone."
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I don't know where life is going to take me. I do know that wherever I go, You are there. I especially pray for those who feel alone. Comfort them with Your love and presence. In Your Name. Amen. -
28 Mar 04, FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
Unprepared
"So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him" (Matthew 24:44)
Jesus said to me, "I keep telling people to be prepared for my arrival, but they just don't get the message." Organization expert Julie Morgenstern knows what being unprepared can cost. She used to spend hours and hours looking for things-including four hours wandering an airport garage looking for the car she'd parked there. When she became a mother, Morgenstern's lack of preparation finally became expensive enough for her to make a change. On a sunny afternoon when her three-week-old daughter awoke from a nap, Morgenstern decided they would go for a walk. Two and a half hours later, when she had finally gathered all the supplies needed for the outing, the baby had fallen asleep again. Being unprepared had cost her child an opportunity, and she didn't want that to happen again. She got organized and next time an opportunity arose, they were prepared to take advantage.
Morgenstern's lack of preparation caused her to spend an inordinate amount of time looking for things, but how much worse to spend eternity in hell because you aren't prepared for Judgment Day. So that we might be ready, Jesus came into this world, fulfilled the law, shouldered our sins, carried our cross and died our death. Jesus did all this to prepare people for too-late-day. In spite of the Savior, many won't be ready. Maybe they don't take the judgment seriously; maybe they like to procrastinate. Whatever the reason, the consequences of being unprepared are horrible to imagine. They are so horrible, Christendom sends out missionaries to share the message; pastors and parishes publicly preach the powerful story of salvation. So that you might be prepared Lutheran Hour Ministries has dedicated itself to bringing Christ to the nations and the nations to the church. It is why hundreds of thousands of this Lenten devotional book are being sent out. We want you to be ready when the day comes that Jesus will say to me, and you, "Are you prepared?"
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, make me prepared, and eager, for the time when You will come. Amen.